IOC president Thomas Bach demands anti-doping overhaul in wake of Russia scandal
Last Updated: 02/08/16 2:45pm
IOC president Thomas Bach has called for a complete overhaul of the anti-doping system following the revelations of state-backed cheating by Russia.
Bach opened the IOC's three-day general assembly in Rio on Tuesday by defending the executive board's handling of the Russian doping scandal and insisting the controversy had shown up deficiencies in the system run by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
The IOC has come under fire after it stopped short of banning Russia completely from Rio, but instead left it to individual sports to take action against athletes from the country.
"Recent developments have shown that we need a full review of the WADA anti-doping system," he said in a bullish speech three days before the Games open on Friday.
"The IOC is calling for a more robust and efficient anti-doping system," he added. "This requires clear responsibilities, more transparency, more independence and better worldwide harmonisation."
Bach blasted an outright ban as a "nuclear option", adding: "Let us just for a moment consider the consequences of a 'nuclear option'. The result is death and devastation. This is not what the Olympic movement stands for."
