Putin orders Russian diplomats to seek doping rule changes
MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his country’s diplomats on Tuesday to seek changes to international doping rules in the wake of the nation’s drug scandals.
A month after the Winter Olympics took place without a full Russian team, part of the country’s punishment for past doping offenses, Putin said the Foreign Ministry should try to alter the key treaty underpinning anti-doping work worldwide.
He said Russian diplomats working with UNESCO should aim to “refine” the existing International Convention against Doping in Sport so that “the rules are fair and absolutely transparent.”
In his first comments on sports matters since winning a fourth term in Sunday’s election, Putin said the government would continue to “defend the sporting honor of our country and its clean athletes, [and] stand up for sport without politics or double standards.”
Putin, in comments reported by state news agencies, didn’t say exactly what changes should be made or how they could be achieved. Short-term results are unlikely since the next conference on the convention isn’t due until next year.
Putin has previously argued for tighter rules on therapeutic use exemptions, which allow athletes to use otherwise-banned substances if they have a medical need. Putin has argued the exemptions are abused by athletes from other countries, though some leading Russians have also had them.
Putin was meeting Tuesday with Russian athletes from the Paralympics, who were required to compete at this month’s games under the designation “Neutral Paralympic Athletes” as part of the country’s punishment for what the International Paralympic Committee said was widespread doping in previous years.