Richard Pound rebuked Russian sports officials for close ties with the state
Photo: Ministry of Sport (global look press)
The behavior of Russian sports officials in recent years is unacceptable. About this in an interview with Inside the games declared former president of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Richard Pound, also a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
“Russian athletes and leaders are a welcome addition to the Olympic Movement, but they must understand that if they want to be part of it, they must accept and abide by the applicable rules,” Pound said.
He noted that the activities of Russian sports officials in sports cannot but be connected with the activities of the state. “Their behavior in recent years is unacceptable,” Pound said.
Pound is the first president of WADA, having led the agency from 1999 to 2007. Since 1978, he has been a member of the IOC, being the longest member of the organization. In 2001, Pound ran for the presidency of the IOC, but lost to the Belgian Jacques Rogge.
Pound led the commission that published a report in 2015 on doping use in Russian athletics. Later, the grounds from this report led to the fact that the Russian Anti-Doping Agency was recognized as not complying with the WADA code, as well as the deprivation of the membership of the All-Russian Athletics Federation in the international association, which has not yet been restored.