Russian leader: Doping won’t keep athletes out of Olympics
LIMA, Peru — If the Russians are worried about missing the upcoming Winter Olympics, one of their key leaders certainly isn’t showing it.
Alexander Zhukov, a Russian member of the International Olympic Committee, told The Associated Press “all of them are going to Pyeongchang” when asked this week if he had any concerns about how the doping investigation in his country might affect eligibility for the Olympics next February.
“Most of the Russian athletes are training in major competitions” this winter, said Zhukov, who also serves as head of Russia’s Olympic committee. “And they’re preparing. I understand all of them are going to Pyeongchang.”
Zhukov’s confidence comes as a pair of IOC committees head into their 15th month of reviewing the findings of an investigation conducted by Richard McLaren. That probe found evidence of widespread, state-sponsored doping corruption inside Russia that impacted 1,000 athletes covering 30 sports.