‘99% of Russian athletes dope’

As many as 99 percent of Russian athletes are guilty of doping, a German TV documentary has alleged.
The programme claims that Russian officials systematically accepted payment from athletes to supply banned substances and cover up tests.The documentary, shown by Das Erste, also implicates the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) in covering up the abuse. The Russian Athletics Federation (RAF) says the allegations are “lies”. However, both the IAAF and the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) have said they will look into the claims.

The IAAF said it had “noted a number of grave allegations” and revealed that an investigation into some of the claims was “already ongoing”.

The BBC has not independently verified the documentary’s allegations and is awaiting responses from athletes targeted in the programme.

In the documentary, broadcast on Wednesday, former discus thrower Yevgeniya Pecherina claimed that “most, the majority, 99 percent” of athletes selected to represent Russia use banned substances. “You can get absolutely everything,” added the 25-year-old Russian. “Everything the athlete wants.”

Pecherina is currently serving a 10-year doping ban that is due to end in 2023. She had already been handed a two-year suspension in 2011. — BBC Sport