Russia state-sponsored doping at Sochi Winter Olympics – report

The report looks into claims that dozens of Russian athletes were doped in the build-up to Sochi 2014

Russia operated a state-sponsored doping programme at the Sochi Winter Olympics in 2014, claims a new report.

An investigation commissioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency says Russia’s sports ministry “directed, controlled and oversaw” the manipulation of urine samples provided by its athletes.

The commission looked into allegations made by the former head of Russia’s national anti-doping laboratory.

Grigory Rodchenkov claimed he doped dozens of athletes before the Games.

The commission was led by Dr Richard McLaren, a Canadian law professor and sports lawyer who said he had “unwavering confidence” in his findings.

Rodchenkov also alleged he had been helped by the Russian secret service.

He claimed they had worked out how to open and reseal the supposedly tamper-proof bottles that were used for storing urine samples so the contents could be replaced with “clean” urine.

To prove this allegation, McLaren sent a random amount of samples from “protected …

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