Russia's sports minister on Monday warned that the World Anti-Doping Agency independent commission cannot take the decision to suspend Russia from competition after it recommended the country be barred over doping and corruption allegations.
"There is no need to get confused, the commission does not have the right to suspend anyone," Vitaly Mutko told RIA Novosti news agency, saying Russian authorities would release a fuller statement later.
In a long-awaited report released Monday the commission called on the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) to suspend the Russian Athletics Federation (ARAF).
Vadim Zelichenok, ARAF acting president, told RIA Novosti that the WADA demand was "against the rules" of the IAAF and said the Russian federation should have been "given the chance to defend ourselves".
Artem Patsev, an ARAF lawyer, said that the accusations issued by the WADA commission looks very much like a "political" order and that there was no "real evidence."
"If they had serious reasons for the suspension, it would be already done," he told RIA Novosti.
Russia’s sports minister on Monday warned that the World Anti-Doping Agency independent commission cannot take the decision to suspend Russia from competition after it recommended the country be barred over doping and corruption allegations.
“There is no need to get confused, the commission does not have the right to suspend anyone,” Vitaly Mutko told RIA Novosti news agency, saying Russian authorities would release a fuller statement later.
In a long-awaited report released Monday the commission called on the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) to suspend the Russian Athletics Federation (ARAF).
Vadim Zelichenok, ARAF acting president, told RIA Novosti that the WADA demand was “against the rules” of the IAAF and said the Russian federation should have been “given the chance to defend ourselves”.
Artem Patsev, an ARAF lawyer, said that the accusations issued by the WADA commission looks very much like a “political” order and that there was no “real evidence.”
“If they had serious reasons for the suspension, it would be already done,” he told RIA Novosti.
