Organizations and Athletes Respond to McLaren Report

Various organizations and athletes have responded to the McLaren Report’s second part, which was released December 9, 2016. Below are some of the comments made.

International Olympic Committee (IOC): The cooperation between the IOC and Prof. McLaren, as indicated in the report, will continue. The IOC appreciates Prof. McLaren’s commitment to support the two Commissions set up by the IOC on 19 July 2016… (Full statement can be found here) (12/9)

 

United States Anti-Doping Association (USADA): “It’s another staggering example of how the Olympic movement has been corrupted and clean athletes robbed by Russia’s state-supported doping system. The IOC has to act – and clean athletes won’t be satisfied until WADA is empowered to be a truly independent global regulator and the Russian Olympic Committee is suspended until deemed code compliant. No international sporting events should be held in Russia until its anti-doping program is fully Code complaint and all the individuals who participated in the corruption are held accountable.”

“We also need to need to do everything in our power to support the athletes who were robbed. And while they may never be able to get back the moment that was stolen from them, we have to make sure that at least some of what was taken from them is restored.” – Travis T. Tygart, CEO of USADA (12/9)

 

International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation (IBSF): The IBSF deplores any action that attacks the values of sport and of clean athletes.

At today´s meeting its Executive Committee decided to act promptly and decisively following the publication of the final McLaren Report. Therefore the IBSF will need to read and digest the report, the IP Evidence Disclosure Package (EDP) and gain IBSF-specific information from WADA. Highest priority and urgency is given by the Executive Committee to this matter.

Once all information has been collected and evaluated the IBSF will report on actions related to the McLaren Report. (12/9)

 

Latvia Skeleton: Enough time has passed since first public WADA and IOC announcements regarding dirty athletes in our sport.
As members of skeleton sport community we feel that more can still be done to make it right.
Now, according to latest reports, we say- enough is enough.

And while our international federation is still going to: “read and digest the report”, we will do what WE can- we will be glad to race in World Championships at any track of the world, but

WE ARE NOT PARTICIPATING in World Championships in Sochi, Russia- a place where Olympic spirit was stolen in 2014. (12/11)

 

British Bobsleigh & Skeleton: The British Bobsleigh & Skeleton Association will now fully assess the findings of the Report and will await a statement from the relevant bodies regarding how the Report may affect our sport, both in terms of past performances and future events.

The Report presents some distressing information for all of us who support clean sport and it has done nothing to dampen our previous concerns. We trust that our international federation, the International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation (IBSF), will take a strong stance to protect clean sport and act accordingly. We await the further detail from them and will then take a decision regarding our involvement in the Sochi World Championships.

We want all of our athletes to compete on an equal footing and to further learn that this does not appear to have been the case during the last Winter Olympic Games is extremely disheartening. We are keen to learn exactly how this may have affected the position of our own athletes within their competitions, particularly with regards to our 4-man bobsleigh team, who narrowly missed out on a medal in Sochi in 2014.

We now await a response from the International Olympic Committee regarding any potential alterations to placings and any potential subsequent reallocation of medals. (12/9)

 

Elana Meyers Taylor (USABS bobsled pilot): Our World Champs are being hosted in Russia, with these concerns we need them moved for our safety.  Can we and should we trust drug testing for a World Championship held in Russia?| I want to compete in a World Championships that’s drug free and safe for all. Sochi, Russia, is not an option. (12/9 – via comments on Twitter)