Russia’s Doping Scandal Has Global Sporting Consequences

With guest host Jane Clayson.

Russia gets called out on the global stage for doping its athletes.  Widespread, big-time. It could get Russia banned from the Rio Olympics.

Russia is indignant. This week, it was singled out by the World Anti-Doping Agency for a big, government-sanctioned program to cheat in international sports. For helping its track and field athletes take steroids and helping them hide the evidence and fake the results. The Minister of Sports says the charges are just a smear campaign. On the street, Russians say ‘get real, everybody does it.’ It could get Russia banned from the Rio Olympics next year.  Could this taint the modern Olympics entirely?  This hour On Point, international sports and Russia’s state-run doping regime.
-- Jane Clayson

Matthew Futterman, senior special sports writer on sports for The Wall Street Journal. Author of the forthcoming book, "Players: The Story of Sports And Money and The Visionaries Who Fought To Create the Revolution." (@MattFutterman)

Natalia Antonova, writer journalist and playwright. Former editor of the Moscow News. (@NataliaAntonova)

John Hoberman, sports historian and doping expert. Author of "Testosterone Dreams" and "Mortal Engines." Professor of Germanic Studies at the University of Texas - Austin. (@johnhoberman)

Guardian US: Russia facing IAAF suspension by Friday over damning doping report -- "Russia faces being suspended from athletics by the end of the week as the fallout from Dick Pound’s devastating report into state-sponsored doping begins to reverberate around world sport."

The Wall Street Journal: Why the Anti-Doping Effort Needs an Overhaul -- "This isn’t all about sneaky Russians or the legacy of Soviet state-sponsored doping programs. Athletes (Marion Jones), sports federations (cycling), and national Olympic committees (Kenya, Jamaica) everywhere have proven incapable of making sure their biggest stars don’t cheat. This is about a system that’s as silly as it is ineffective."

WADA: Independent Commission Report, #1 -- "The investigation indicates that the acceptance of cheating at all levels is widespread and of long standing. Many of the more egregious offenders appear to be coaches who, themselves, were once athletes and who work in connection with medical personnel. This ‘win at all costs’ mentality was then passed to current athletes, whether willing to participate or not. "