Whistleblower feared for his life

gRIgORY ROdCHEnKOV, the Russian whistleblower who exposed the statesponsored doping programme in his country, has called for Russia to be banned from the Olympics amid concerns that the authorities don’t have the stomach to take such action. In a column in yesterday’s

New York Times, the former head of the Wadaaccredited testing lab in Moscow also made the chilling claim that he was warned his life was in danger just days before fleeing to america. ‘a friend within the government warned me that Russia was planning my “suicide”,’ he wrote. But Rodchenkov (right) is alarmed by what he sees as a reluctance by both the International Olympic Committee and the World anti-doping agency to follow world athletics in taking firm action against the Russians. ‘I escaped Russia determined to tell the world about my country’s doping programme for Olympic athletes,’ said Rodchenkov, who is now part of the witness protection programme in the US. ‘as the former director of Russia’s anti-doping centre, I disclosed indisputable evidence of widespread, statesanctioned cheating by my country, hoping this would lead to change. But the expectation I once had for meaningful reform is beginning to fade. In recent weeks, news reports have strongly suggested that Wada is trying to find a way to walk away from the findings of its own independent investigator. ‘Of the medals fraudulently earned by Russian athletes at the Sochi games, not one has been withdrawn by the IOC. The Winter Olympics begins in South Korea in February, yet it is unclear whether the IOC can finish its own investigations of Russian doping before it starts.’ Rodchenkov insisted Vitaly Mutko, the former minister of sport but someone who will be in charge of the FIFa 2018 World Cup as the president of the Russian Fa, was fully aware of the country’s doping activities. ‘My former boss, Vitaly Mutko has repeatedly denied knowledge of my activities,’ he said. ‘let me be clear: Mr Mutko knew about, and was critical to the success of, Russia’s doping program.’ He adds: ‘Telling the truth is not easy, especially when consequences are severe for doing so. ‘I thought that my family might be safer with me gone and, if I were to die, at least I would get to tell the truth to the world first.’