Russia dismisses doping scandal as ‘political hit job’

The Kremlin dismissed sweeping doping allegations against its athletes as entirely groundless, while Russia’s sporting and anti-doping chiefs suggested the international furore bore all the hallmarks of a “political hit job”.

Russia’s stature as a sporting superpower is part of President Vladimir Putin’s rebranding of his country as resurgent, and allegations from a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) commission that Russian athletes have systematically used performance- enhancing substances have cut deep.

“I hope this will not affect the morale of our athletes,” Vadim Zelichenok, the acting head of the Russian Athletics Foundation (VFLA), at the centre of the burgeoning scandal, told a news conference.