As is the response anytime that a person or an organisation is caught cheating, the first move is a robust public denial. In this case the Russian Athletics Federation is denying the explosive doping story from German radio and television station MDR, in a documentary that aired Wednesday, December 3rd.
Russian Athletics Federation President Valentin Balakhnichev called the story a “pack of lies,” however, he also said the he needs time to investigate internally. This means they need time to investigate, as said – to right the wrongs or alternatively they need time to sort out just how they are going to cover this story up, pay-off tattlers and destroy records.
From the Gaurdian:
A German TV documentary alleging widespread doping and cover-ups among Russian athletes contains “a pack of lies”, according to Russia’s Athletics Federation president, Valentin Balakhnichev.
The documentary screened on the TV network MDR on Wednesday alleged not only that up to 99% of the Russian Olympic team were doping, but also that a network of corruption has been put in place to cover up positive tests, involving officials at the Russian anti-doping agency, the doping control laboratory in Moscow, as well as the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).
Here is the Gaurdian story about the initial backlash from Balakhnichev.
