LONDON (AP) – The man who headed the investigation that led to Russia’s suspension from global track and field competition says he sees little evidence that the country is doing enough win reinstatement in time for the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Former World Anti-Doping Agency president Dick Pound tells The Associated Press that Russia has been “dithering and procrastinating” in reforming its drug-testing system and “time is really shrinking” for its athletes to have any chance of being cleared for the Olympics in August.
The IAAF suspended the Russian track federation in November after a report by Pound’s independent WADA commission detailed state-sponsored corruption and doping cover-ups in Russia.
Pound says: “I can’t tell for sure whether they are taking this really seriously or they assume the problem will go away.”