Political motives behind McLaren report, says Isinbayeva

Political motives

The McLaren report exposes widescale double-crossing in Russian sport but bears the making of a political attack because other countries have escaped similar scrutiny., claims Russian pole vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva.

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Discrimination

In an interview published in French sports daily L'Équipe today, the two-time Olympic gold medallist said she welcomed the drive to clean up Russian sport, but hastened to add: “Focusing investigations on one country is political”. Isinbayeva was one of over 100 athletes who were banned from this year’s Rio Games following revelations of State-sponsored doping.

“I do not believe there was a conspiracy, and I just want the McLaren investigation to be extended to the whole world” said Isinbayeva, who went on to add, “Doping in Russia is no different to anywhere else”.

No proof

Isinbayeva, appointed head of Russia's Anti-Doping Agency last week, said the McLaren report whose final version commissioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency and which was published on Friday, had failed to deliver proof to back up its findings or include the names of violators, the drugs used and other details.

“They talk about proof but we haven’t seen any. I am against the cheats but I don't like generalizations. How can I recognize that there is institutional doping when I have never been part of it? Of course I agree that our cheats should be banned. They cheated, let them pay the price. But what upsets me is the collective ban that solves nothing”, she said.