IOC eyes legal bid to punish Russian doping

IOC President Thomas Bach speaks during a news conference in Pyeongchang, South Korea, on Friday. (Reuters)

PYEONGCHANG, South Korea: Olympics chief Thomas Bach on Friday urged the author of an explosive report on Russian doping to hand over more information for potential legal proceedings.
Bach has invited Richard McLaren and World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) president Craig Reedie to discuss dealing with Russia, which is accused of operating a systematic doping program.
The olive branch comes after Bach and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) were initially skeptical of McLaren鈥檚 report and baulked at calls to ban Russia outright from last year鈥檚 Rio Olympics.
鈥淲hat I wanted to discuss with him and Mr. Reedie is first of all whether they can give us further information, further advice, for our (investigative) commissions,鈥� the IOC president said.
鈥淎nd in such a way, trying to accelerate the procedure and then hopefully come to a solution of this situation,鈥� he told media in South Korea鈥檚 Pyeongchang, venue for the 2018 Winter Games.
McLaren鈥檚 report detailed 鈥渟tate-sponsored鈥� doping used to help Russian athletes at the 2012 London Olympics, 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, and the 2013 world athletics championships in Moscow.
As a result, Russian track and field athletes were barred from competing at the 2016 Rio Olympics after Russia鈥檚 suspension by the IAAF, the sport鈥檚 governing body.
Bach has sent written invitations to McLaren and Reedie, and hopes to gain information 鈥渁ble to stand scrutiny in a court of law,鈥� IOC communications director Mark Adams said earlier.
Bach鈥檚 letter acknowledged that McLaren鈥檚 work 鈥渞evealed a massive doping problem in Russia, based upon a systematic manipulation of anti-doping,鈥� Adams said.
Reedie warned earlier this week that Russia still had 鈥渟ignificant work鈥� to do before WADA鈥檚 suspension of its anti-doping body, RUSADA, is lifted.