Russia ban: Doping whistleblower Yuliya Stepanova hits back at Olympic bosses over Rio snub
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(CNN)One of the key whistleblowers in exposing state-run doping in Russia has warned Olympic bosses they risk scaring others from coming forward by banning her from Rio 2016.
Yuliya Stepanova, who along with her husband Vitaly gave evidence that led to the Russian track and field team’s ban from the Olympics, had been given the go ahead to compete in Rio by athletics governing body the IAAF.
But that was blocked by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), leaving the 800 meter runner accusing the body of basing its decision “based on wrong and untrue statements.”
Stepanova has been deemed ineligible to compete under the IOC executive board ruling, which rejected calls for a blanket ban on Russia but instead said Russian athletes who had previously been caught doping could not be selected.
That includes Stepanova, who served a two-year ban from February 2013 for abnormalities in her biological passport.
The IOC was not immediately available for comment when contacted by CNN.
Stepanova had previously told the IOC’s ethics commission: “It [allowing her to compete] would show an example to the other athletes that may find themselves in a similar situation as I was that it is necessary to say the truth, that one needs to fight the system.
“It would show that if they act with good intentions, they will be listened to and even the IOC will support them.”
Rio undergoes facelift in preparation for Olympics 02:17
Her husband worked for the Russian anti-doping agency (RUSADA) and was also key in exposing the malpractices of the system which saw a host of positive tests by Russian athletes disappear.
Under the doping system, Stepanova said she was given drugs, including steroids and the blood-booster EPO, from 2007 to 2012 but explained she never tested positive during that time period as “she was part of the system that covered up doping use.”
She was informed of the IOC’s decision in a letter by director general Christophe de Kepper, which prompted a strongly worded response from the couple.
“The IOC ignored facts,” said the statement from the Stepanovs. “Yuliya did not ask for a reduced sanction under the WADA code (to which she was entitled) for her substantial efforts to expose Russia’s state-sponsored doping program.
“She insisted on serving the full ban, as she accepted responsibility for her actions despite the fact that as an athlete in a state-sponsored doping system, she had little choice but to comply.
“Yuliya asked to compete in Rio not to receive an extraordinary benefit but to simply restore her to the position she would have been in had she never exposed Russia’s systemic doping program.”
In an interview with Reuters, Vitaly Stepanov reacted with incredulity to the IOC decision, in particular with regards to its invitation for the couple to attend the Games as spectators.
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He said: “I felt like ‘are you trying to buy us?’ Is that how the IOC treats whistleblowers? Make them quiet by giving them IOC accreditation and access to VIP lounges.”
Vitaly Stepanov described the organization as “not a leader in sport movement” but one that “says strong words but it acts weak” claiming they had denied his wife the chance to “see how fast she can run by being an honest athlete.
“My personal view from the communications we had with people from the IOC, those people had no interest in clean sport,” he said. “I got the impression the only thing they cared about is protecting the IOC as an organization.”
The decision of the remaining Russian sportsmen and women rests in the hands of their individual sporting federations. Already, archery, badminton, equestrianism, judo and tennis have been among the sports to give Russia the all clear to compete.
“I believe this is exactly what we must do [take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport,” Vitaly was quoted as saying by Russian news agency TASS.
“We are disappointed beyond the limits because four years of hard work have all been in vain. So we need to do something about it.”
CAS was not immediately available for comment when contacted by CNN to confirm if the whistleblowers had filed an appeal with the Switzerland based court.
