Athletics doping commission seeks Russia ban

A scathing report by an independent commission set up by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) has recommended that Russia be suspended from international athletics after identifying widespread corruption and bribery practices.

Richard Pound, World Anti-Doping Agency founding president and former IOC vice president speaks during a news conference on the Wada Independent Commission report on findings of investigation into allegations of widespread doping in sport in Geneva. Reuters

The head of the three-man commission, Dick Pound, told a press conference in Geneva that systematic doping "could not have happened without the awareness and consent of the Moscow government".

The commission called for five athletes and five coaches to be handed lifetime bans, including London Olympic 800-metre champion Maria Savanova.

It also recommended an anti-doping laboratory in Moscow be stripped of its accrediation, and its director be stood down.

In a statement, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) said it is considering sanctions against the Russian Athletics Federation.

IAAF president Sebastian Coe earlier expressed his determination to “rebuild and repair” athletics.

His predecessor, Lamine Diack, was last week put under criminal investigation on suspicion of corruption and money laundering but denies taking more than one million euros to cover up Russian doping offences.

Allegations of doping first aired in a German TV documentary last December in a scandal that's said to be more damaging than the corruption crisis engulfing world football's governing body, Fifa.