I doubt justness of Russian athletes’ suspension from Olympics - Konstantin Tolkachev

UFA, 26 July 2016. /Bashinform News Agency, Arina Rakhimkulova/. The Chairman of the State Assembly of Bashkortostan Konstantin Tolkachev expressed doubts as to the justness of the suspension of the Russian national team in athletics from participating in the Olympic Games.

"I am glad that the IOC was able to take an unbiased decision having allowed our team to participate in the Olympics. As for the national team in athletics, there are doubts as to the justness of its suspension from participation in the Games, and above all an individualization of punishment principle is violated, so that many innocent people are left out of the competition. There are serious questions to the coaches, doctors responsible for the doping fraud", Konstantin Tolkachev wrote on his official page on the social network.

The Chairman of the State Assembly of the Republic added that currently there was an idea to prepare a legislative initiative on the establishment of criminal liability for use of performance-enhancing drugs.

The decision on the participation of the Russian national team in the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro was made on July 24. The Executive Committee of the International Olympic Committee decided that the Russians will be able to compete at the event under the national flag. Thus international federations will decide independently who will be able to participate in the Olympics-2016.