MOSCOW (AP) The Russian foreign minister cast calls for new anti-doping sanctions on Russian sports as one more Western effort to sideline Russia, while the countrys top anti-doping official called the step justified on Tuesday.
A key panel at the World Anti-Doping Agency recommended on Monday that Russian athletes compete as neutrals at next years Olympics and other major events for the next four years.
The panel also wants Russia banned from hosting events during that time.
There are those who want to put Russia in a defensive position accused of pretty much everything in every sphere of international life conflicts, economics, energy, gas pipelines, arms sales, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told a news conference in Moscow when asked about the WADA panels recommendation.
WADAs executive board will vote on the recommendations on Dec. 9.
Handing over the data in January was meant to be Russias peace offering to put years of doping disputes behind it, while allowing past cover-ups to be revealed.
However, WADAs compliance review committee concluded there were intense efforts to remove hundreds of positive tests and plant fake messages implicating WADAs star witness, former lab director Grigory Rodchenkov.
The Russian anti-doping agency, known as RUSADA, has been sharply critical of the countrys authorities approach to the issue and said it expects Russia will likely have to accept the consequences.
Theyre to be expected and theyre justified, RUSADA CEO Yuri Ganus told The Associated Press.
One of the conditions for the sports authorities was not met, and unfortunately our athletes become hostages in this situation, he added. Now theres a question about a possible appeal, but as a lawyer I dont see how it can be appealed.
Ganus has long called for a shakeup in how sports are run in Russia, and suggested years of defensiveness had driven Russia into a dead end.
He said: Were in the fifth year of this crisis, and unfortunately those individuals running our sport have not just failed to bring it out of the crisis, theyve stuck it in deeper.
The International Olympic Committee has not responded to the WADA panels plan, which would mean Russia fielding a neutral team at next years Olympics in Tokyo and the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
However, Russian IOC member Yelena Isinbayeva said she expected WADAs executive committee to approve the sanctions, which would be the strictest punishment yet for any country for doping-related offenses.
Experience shows that if theres already a recommendation, then they will be taken note of and implemented, the former pole vaulter wrote on Instagram. I have no illusions about a positive outcome or a negative scenario. Im just waiting for the ruling to be announced Dec. 9.
