With Pyeongchang approaching, COC calls on IOC to move quickly on doping front

TORONTO — With the Pyeongchang Games fast approaching, the Canadian Olympic Committee is calling on the International Olympic Committee to move forward with “more timely action” in the wake of the McLaren Report on Russia’s systemic state-sponsored doping.

In a release, the COC asked the IOC to champion “immediate and meaningful sanctions” on the Russian Olympic Committee, sport officials and athletes pursuant to the report. COC president Tricia Smith said she has faith in investigation commissions led by Denis Oswald and Samuel Schmid, but she’s concerned about timing.

“The Games are 112 days away and we’ve got athletes that are going to be participating in qualifications and so on,” Smith said from Vancouver. “So we’re just asking the IOC to recognize that with the timing issues, that we may need to take provisionary measures to make this whole process meaningful.”

IOC investigators have announced they expect several doping cases involving Russians at the 2014 Sochi Olympics will be resolved by the end of November. However, they did not have plans to dictate the eligibility of the athletes for next year’s Winter Games.

It’s expected that evidence will be handed over from the IOC to various sports federations to decide on athletes’ eligibility for Pyeongchang. The IOC made a similar decision ahead of the Summer Games last year, and nearly 300 Russians ended up competing in Rio.

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Many anti-doping leaders have called on the IOC to ban Russia from Pyeongchang. The COC has asked that provisionary measures include suspensions to “safeguard the integrity” of the Games. 

“We applaud the IOC for what they’re doing because these commissions are really important and the work they’re doing is really important,” Smith said. “But the fact is we have Games 112 days away and so again, within the rules there are provisions that you can make interim decisions in terms of who can participate.

“So we’re asking for the IOC to look at those provisionary measures.” 

Both commissions are operating off information from the McLaren Report.

In an email, an IOC spokesman noted the committee has to wait for forensic work to be done, adding that any decision has to stand up in court. A formal reply to the COC release was expected later Thursday.

The COC, which held a meeting of its board of directors last weekend, will host a symposium on Nov. 24 to “serve as a catalyst for positive change in clean sport and to further a broader discussion on anti-doping.”

“We’re calling on Olympic nations who want to join us in this conversation to take part in the Ethical Sport Symposium in Calgary,” said COC chief executive officer Chris Overholt. “We need to look for constructive solutions to these problems.”

The Pyeongchang Games are set for Feb. 9-25.

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With files from The Associated Press. Follow @GregoryStrongCP on Twitter.

Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press