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Doping row not in focus of Putin-chaired 2016 Olympics preparations meeting

SOCHI, November 11. /TASS/. The Kremlin has warned the mass media against expecting the doping row will take centre stage at a meeting on preparations for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympics due on Wednesday, to be chaired by President Vladimir Putin.

Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov explained that "of course one may expect that this theme will be touched upon in this or that way and Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko will brief the conference on the charges against our athletes."

At the same time he said: "I am asking you not to expect the doping theme will take centre stage. It is not the main thing. That event was not planned during the past few days. Preparations for it lasted for several weeks."

The World Anti-Doping Agency WADA has published the findings of its investigation of the All-Russia Athletics Federation, the Moscow anti-doping laboratory, the Russian Sports Ministry and the Sports Ministry. WADA put forward a number of charges against both officials and athletes to have called for disqualifying the All-Russia Athletics Federation, which may strip Russian athletes of an opportunity to participate in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.