The decision of the International athletics Federation about deprivation of the rights of Russian athletes to go for the upcoming Brazil Olympics is unfair, but, nevertheless, Russia intends to strengthen the fight against doping, said the President of Russia Vladimir Putin.
“Of course, unfair. (…) The responsibility should be personalized. (…) People who have no relationship to the violations, why should they suffer for others. This does not fit all in any scope of civilized behavior”, — Putin said while interacting with heads of leading international news agencies in the framework of SPIEF.
“We are indignant when confronted with the problems of doping and are trying to stop it, to punish the perpetrators. (…) I hope that some solution we’re going to find here. But this does not mean that we are going to be offended and say that we won’t fight doping. Just the opposite. We will strengthen the fight against doping,” — said the head of state.
Putin recalled that the last six months, samples from Russian athletes took the foreign experts. “And these samples were studied in foreign laboratories. They don’t trust? Took, in my opinion, British anti-doping structure. Moreover, we went on the recommendation of WADA”, said the President of the Russian Federation.
In this regard, he asked the question: “Who needs to take samples, to believe in the authenticity of the work? Let’s ask our Chinese partners, they will take. We don’t mind”.
Also, according to the President, Russia agreed to cooperation with international partner organizations abroad, and have fulfilled the conditions that were proposed. “We, in fact, they do not dispute”, — Putin said, stressing that the responsibility should always be personalized.
“No one should have to suffer those who has nothing to do with the offences,” he said.
The head of state recalled the situation with Meldonium, noting that he had not heard before about this drug, although it was produced in the USSR. “No one has conducted any research on how quickly the drug is excreted from the body. Clinical studies no. They never spent”, — said Putin.
According to him, there is still no answer to this question.
“I believe that are hasty decisions that were taken. First, it was necessary to conduct clinical studies, and then say that such and such a point found Meldonium in the body, so guilty,” — said Putin.
The head of state added: “Well, let’s assume that everyone is wrong, could our partners be wrong.”
