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Statistics show more doping violations in US than in Russia — anti-doping official

The worldwide introduction of biological passports will only provide for the increase of disqualified athletes over doping abuse

MOSCOW, February 10. /TASS/. Statistics from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) show that cases of US athletes violating regulations against abuse of performance enhancing drugs are more frequent compared with Russia, a senior Russian anti-doping official said on Tuesday.

"The United States has more anti-doping violations and related suspensions than in Russia," Nikita Kamayev, the executive director of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) said on Tuesday.

Kamayev said that the worldwide introduction of biological passports would only provide for the increase of disqualified athletes over doping abuse.

"There is tendency for a percentage increase," he said. "We [RUSADA] will be summing up the results of 2014 and will issue the statistics by the end of April. However, we may already say that the figure will be higher compared with the current 2.2%"

Russia first fell in the focus of a fresh doping scandal in early December, when German television aired a series of documentaries about alleged doping abuse by Russian athletes. The ARD’s two-part documentary, entitled Geheimsache Doping (Secret Doping Case) claimed that some Russian athletes had systematically taken prohibited formulas on instructions from their coaches.

The All-Russia Athletics Federation (ARAF) was hit by another high-profile doping scandal last month involving titled Russian athletes.

RUSADA announced January 20 that Olympic Champions in race walk Valery Borchin, Sergey Kirdyapkin and Olga Kaniskina as well as Russia’s 2011 World Champion Sergey Bakulin and 2011 World Championship silver medalist Vladimir Kanaikin were suspended after they were found guilty of violating anti-doping regulations.

Their suspension was based on irregularities in their biological passports, which were indicators to abuse of performance enhancing drugs.

Kaniskina, Kirdyapkin and Bakulin were each handed by RUSADA suspension terms of three years and two months, while Borchin was disqualified for the term of eight years. Kanaikin was disqualified for life. The suspension terms come into force as of October 15, 2012 meaning that Borchin will be ineligible to compete at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro.

Borchin and Kaniskina are 2008 Beijing Olympics champions in 20 km Walk. Kaniskina is also a silver medalist of the 2012 Olympics in London in women’s 20 km Walk. Kirdyapkin won the Olympic gold in men’s 50 km Walk at the 2012 Summer Games in London. This is a second suspension penalty for Borchin, 28, as he was already subjected to a one-year disqualification in 2005 also on doping abuse charges.

Race walker Bakulin won his world champion’s title in men’s 50 km walk at the 2011 World Championships in South Korea’s Daegu.

Following the suspensions, Kirdyapkin will be deprived of his 2009 World Championship’s gold medal in men’s 50 km walk. Kaniskina and Borchin will be deprived of their 2009 and 2011 World Championships’ gold medals. Bakulin and Kanaikin will lose their gold and silver medals respectively won at the 2011 World Championship.

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