Russian Paralympic Committee head stunned by possibility of International Paralympic Committee membership suspension
MOSCOW. July 23 (Interfax) - Russian National Paralympic Committee (NPC Russia) President Vladimir Lukin categorically disagrees with the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) doping allegations leveled at Russian Paralympians and is dismayed by the International Paralympic Committee's (IPC) warning that it would consider the suspension of NPC Russia's membership.
"The charges that the International Paralympic Committee leveled at us in its latest statement have frustrated me, because I can hardly agree with some of its points. It's hard to agree that we, who are victims of these developments, are seen as suspects," Lukin said on the Rossiya-24 television channel on Saturday.
"Why had the Russian Paralympic Committee to be punished, especially so strictly, as they say, for those ugly doping excesses that emerged and, among other things, affected the Paralympians?" Lukin said.
NPC Russia has cooperated with the IPC for 20 years, and "there have been different periods and arguments over this time, but we have acted as a Paralympic family," he said.
"I don't understand what the [Russian] Paralympic Committee is to blame for if a group of scoundrels - I can hardly find a better word - didn't give a damn about all Olympic values and simply committed an offence that borders on a crime or even is a crime. They've committed a crime. Who is the main victim? The Paralympic movement and those who organize it - the Paralympic Committee. And here we are, having been charged," Lukin said.
"We are willing to cooperate with all those who want to expose this story and punish those responsible. But we are victims," Lukin said.
Lukin said he was willing to meet with IPC officials to address the problem. "If there are some charges, we are ready to reply to these charges. We have firmly and insistently fought these ugly doping excesses in our ranks for all these years. But if someone decided to fake documents this way, this is certainly a serious crime," Lukin said.
It was reported on Friday that the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) had started considering the suspension of NPC Russia's membership. The proceedings had been prompted by a report published by the WADA Independent Commission led by Richard McLaren on July 18.
"After fully evaluating Richard McLaren's 'Independent Person Report', together with additional data provided to the IPC by the report's author, the IPC Governing Board on Friday (22 July) ratified a decision to open suspension proceedings against NPC Russia in light of its apparent inability to fulfill its IPC membership responsibilities and obligations," the IPC said on Friday.
"In particular, in light of the prevailing doping culture endemic within Russian sport, at the very highest levels, NPC Russia appears unable or unwilling to ensure compliance with and the enforcement of the IPC's Anti-Doping Code within its own national jurisdiction," it said.
"The suspension of NPC Russia will now be considered in accordance with the IPC Suspension Policy. That process will include, amongst other things, appropriate dialogue with NPC Russia in order to afford them due process and to allow them to present their case," it said.
A decision on NPC Russia's future is expected to be announced during the first week of August.
