Canada’s anti-doping crusader buoyed by doping documentary’s Oscar win
TORONTO — An Oscar win for the doping documentary “Icarus” is “a great addition” to ongoing efforts to combat cheating in sport, says a Canadian investigator whose work helped limit Russia’s participation in last month’s Winter Olympics.
London, Ont., lawyer Richard McLaren, whose damning report for the World Anti-Doping Agency concluded widespread, state-sanctioned doping among Russian athletes, says the best documentary feature prize capped a thrilling weekend of Oscar parties and celebrity hob-nobbing.
Reached by phone in Los Angeles, McLaren said Tuesday he hopes the accolade and increased attention will allow the film — and his findings — to reach even more audiences and thereby shed light on a scandal that continues to rock the sporting world.
“It was quite the evening, it was quite the weekend,” said McLaren, buoyed by a new, unexpected platform to champion integrity in competition.