Drugs will be in Rio – Kiwi
New Zealand distance runner Zane Robertson has lashed out at the International Olympic Committee’s handling of the Russian doping scandal and declared ‘‘drugs will be in Rio’’.
Robertson is set to race the 10,000m at the Games.
Athletics has already banned Russians from track and field events, a decision backed up by the Court of Arbitration for Sport following a Russian appeal.
In a tweet yesterday, Robertson labelled the IOC ‘‘lost’’ and the IAAF ‘‘not much better’’ claiming ‘‘they ban Russia as scapegoats to look like they are cleaning up. Drugs will be in Rio’’.
Ironically, Robertson’s views came on a day when he was subjected to an early wake-up for out of competition drug testing.
Robertson won bronze in the 5000m at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh. to not compete under the Russian flag, but rather on the hostile treatment and threats she had received since December 2014 up to yesterday,’’ the pair said.
Stepanova, who provided evidence of doping in a series of German broadcaster ARD documentaries, has fled Russia and is living in hiding at an undisclosed location in North America, fearing for her safety.
The IOC said any Russian ath-
The African-based Kiwi has been a vocal opponent of drug cheats, voicing strong opinions when the Russian athletics scandal broke earlier this year.
‘‘I think this is what all athletes talk about these days but in the shadows. More clean athletes need to speak up and be heard,’’ he said in May. lete with a doping past, including Stepanova, would not be allowed to compete in Rio.
Stepanova said the decision went against rulings of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) which had struck down part of the Olympic Charter blocking sanctioned athletes from future Games. In making its decision, CAS had argued there could not be a double punishment for alreadysanctioned athletes.