The couple who blew the whistle on doping in Russian sport fear drug cheats will still compete at the Rio Games under the country’s flag.
Former Russian anti-doping officer Vitaly Stepanov and his wife, the 800 metre runner Yuliya Stepanova, lifted the lid on the state-sponsored doping in the country which has had a dramatic fall-out.
Athletics’ governing body the IAAF has imposed a blanket ban on all Russian athletes for the Olympics, but the International Olympic Commission refused to follow suit, instead handing the power over to each individual sport.
#4Corners: Vitaly Stepanova was an inspector at @rusada, Russia's anti #doping agency. pic.twitter.com/Qn1fBETw7S
— 4corners (@4corners) July 18, 2016
And, as such the Stepanovs believe drug cheats will still be representing Russia when the Games get under way next month.
“There will be athletes who have used doping from Russia in Rio,” Vitaly Stepanov told BBC Sport.
“The IOC showed that first of all there is no punishment for running a systematic doping programme in the largest country in the world.
“And second, they protected not the majority of clean athletes globally, but they protected clean athletes in Russia.”
Yuliya Stepanova has been denied entry to the Games owing to her own doping past within the Russian system, with the IOC ignoring the IAAF’s decision to allow her to compete under a neutral flag.
“(She) has served her ban, fully served her ban, she thinks that she should not be punished a second time for something that she did in the past,” Vitaly Stepanov added.
Earlier on Tuesday World Rowing banned 22 Russian rowers from the Games, although judo and shooting cleared Russian competitors to take part.
