ARD to show one more film on doping in Russian sport in early June
MOSCOW. May 30 (Interfax) - The German TV channel ARD will show a new documentary on June 8 dealing with the use of doping by Russian athletes, Hans-Joachim ('Hajo') Seppelt, the author of the previous films covering the same issue, said on Twitter.
The film is titled Showdown fur Russland.
Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko pointed out that the film is to be shown several days before the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) council meeting slated for June 17, which should decide whether the All-Russia Athletics Federation's (RusAF) membership should be reinstated or not. In the event of a negative decision, Russian track-and-field athletes will be unable to compete at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
"Another film has been announced today for June 8, in the run-up to an IAAF meeting at which our file will be considered," Mutko said in a TV program hosted by Vladimir Posner on Channel One on Monday.
The fact that the film is to be shown on the German public television and that this is not going to be the first such show indicates a systemic approach, Mutko said.
"After all, someone is financing this and someone has taken systemic interest in the state of affairs in Russian athletics," he said.
Mutko said he was surprised by such close attention to doping problems in Russian sport while the media and WADA have not been so much concerned about similar incidents in other countries.
"After all, there have been horrible scandals [involving doping use] by cyclists in America, by the Finnish skiing team, or by the Bulgarian weightlifters. As a matter of fact, track-and-field athletes in America are all world leaders. But no one set up any commissions and no one demanded that, for instance, the U.S. cycling federation be barred from the Olympic Games," Mutko said.
ARD showed a documentary titled 'The Doping Secret: How Russia Creates Champions' in December 2014. The film was based on testimony from former RUSADA employee, Vitaly Stepanov, and his wife, Russian runner Yulia Stepanova. The film alleged that numerous Russian track-and-field athletes were instructed by their coaches to systematically use banned substances.
This prompted a series of investigations into the Russian-anti-doping system. ARD then followed-up on its doping charges in relation to Russian athletes.
The affair prompted the Russian anti-doping system's transformation in keeping with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) guidelines, and RusAF's management was replaced by other people.
As doping samples taken at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing and 2012 Summer Olympics in London have been retested, banned substances have been detected in the samples belonging to 14 Russian athletes who competed at the 2008 Olympics and eight at the 2012 Olympics.
All Russian track-and-field athletes are now facing the prospect of being barred from competing at the 2016 Olympics in Rio, which are scheduled for August 5-21, 2016.