Richard Pound has chided Russian sports officials for close ties to the state
Photo: Ministry of Sport (global press)
The behavior of Russian sports officials in recent years is unacceptable. About this in an interview with Inside the games declared former president of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Richard Pound, also a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
“Russia’s athletes and leaders are a welcome addition to the Olympic Movement, but they need to understand that if they want to be part of it, they have to accept and abide by the applicable rules,” Pound said.
He noted that the activities of Russian sports officials in sports cannot but be connected with the activities of the state. “Their behavior in recent years is unacceptable,” Pound said.
Pound is the first president of WADA, having led the agency from 1999 to 2007. He has been a member of the IOC since 1978, being the organization’s longest-serving member. In 2001 Pound ran for president of the IOC, but lost to the Belgian Jacques Rogge.
Pound headed the commission that released a report in 2015 on the use of doping in Russian athletics. Subsequently, the reasons for this report led to the fact that the Russian Anti-Doping Agency was recognized as non-compliant with the WADA Code, as well as the deprivation of the membership of the All-Russian Athletics Federation in the international association, which has not yet restored.
