Olympics 2016 News: 31 athletes from 12 countries suspected of doping; Russia faces prolonged ban

On Tuesday, the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) was shocked by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) when they were told that 14 Russian athletes were suspected of doping during 2008’s Summer Olympic Games held in Beijing.

TASS reports that the majority of the suspected athletes are from track and field. Thirthy one athletes playing six different sports for 12 countries may be prohibited from participating in the 2016 Summer Olympic Games toe held in Rio de Janeiro.

The IOC working together with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) retested 454 urine samples from Beijing. They prioritised the athletes who are expected to participate again for this year’s Olympic Games.

Depending on the result of the retrospective testing, The Guardian reports that after eight years, Britain could be awarded their allegedly rightful medals from the Beijing Olympics.

“Not only would it be a nice consolation prize for all us athletes who were deprived of a rightful medal but it would show that the IOC are acknowledging the issue,” one of Britain’s 4x400m men’s relay team member Andrew Steele said when asked if he thinks they should be on stage in Rio to receive the medals. He further expressed the team’s previous suspicions of illegal substance in light of a Russian athlete’s suspected doping.

The identities of the athletes found to be positive for doping in the 2008 Olympic Games will not be released until IOC has examined the “B” samples in the beginning of June. Due to the issue, Russia is currently facing a prolonged ban from the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

“The IAAF and the Russian athletics federation have to get through this crisis together. We’re a sports family,” Ministry of Sports’ Vitaly Mutko told TIME. “It’s like when you have two sons, one of whom is a drug addict. Shunning him won’t make him less of an addict.”

Mutko emphasised Russia’s efforts to promote anti-doping including working on to pass a new law that would make the use of dope a criminal offense.

“The Russian government’s role is simple,” Mutko said. “It’s doing everything to keep sport clean.”

A decision regarding the suspension of Russia for the 2016 Rio Olympics will be made on June 17.

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