Gregory Rodchenkov, Man Behind Russia’s Doping Scandal, Pens New York Times Op-Ed

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Gregory Rodchenkov, the man behind Russia’s State-sponsored doping program and main player in the recent documentary Icarus, wrote an Op-Ed in the New York Times. In the article titled, “Russia’s Olympic Cheating, Unpunished”, Rodchenkov shares how he believes that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) are sweeping the scandal under the rug by not coming down on Russia.

Rodchenkov has provided in his opinion “indisputable evidence of widespread, state-sanctioned cheating by my country [Russia]”, yet neither the IOC or WADA have done anything about it. Instead, WADA cleared 95 of the 96 athletes whose cases were reviewed.

So far none of the medals won by Russian athletes at the 2014 Sochi Games have been withdrawn, nor has the IOC made a determination on Russia’s status for the upcoming 2018 Olympic Games in South Korea. If allowed to compete, Rodchenkov says that the IOC should do separate, independent testing of the Russian athletes.

Rodchenkov concludes his Op-Ed with, “My conscience is now clean, after having cooperated with international antidoping authorities, although my future is uncertain. I will continue to press for reform, give truthful testament about Russia’s misdeeds, and help protect clean athletes against the cheats. I owe them that.”


Read the full Op-Ed by Rodchenkov here.