From Inside the Games
Richard Pound has accused his International Olympic Committee (IOC) colleague Gerardo Werthein of an “extraordinary attack” in a fiery exchange which followed him criticising the organisation’s response to the Russian doping crisis.
It came during a three-hour discussion to open today’s 132nd IOC Session which represented by far the most detailed and balanced exchange of views on the issue by the membership since concerns about the extent of doping in Russian sport first became public in 2014.
Pound and Britain’s Adam Pengilly each abstained from a subsequent in which all other members present praised the IOC Executive Board decision to make 168 Russian athletes participate neutrally – albeit under an “Olympic Athletes from Russia” (OAR) banner – at the Winter Olympic Games due to start here on Friday (February 9).
Pound delivered a pre-written speech in which he argued that a “large proportion of the world believes the IOC has failed and let down clean athletes”.
