IOC willing to take 'tough sanctions' following Russian doping report

By Danielle Joynson, Staff Reporter | 18 July 2016

The International Olympic Committee says that it will take the "toughest sanctions available" after Russia were accused of 'state-sponsored doping'.

The International Olympic Committee has released a statement insisting that it is willing to take the "toughest sanctions available" after Russia were accused of 'state-sponsored doping'.

An investigation commissioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency found that the Russian Ministry of Sport "directed, controlled and oversaw the manipulation of athletes' analytical results or sample swapping" for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.

After the report was released, IOC president Thomas Bach released a statement, which read: "The findings of the report show a shocking and unprecedented attack on the integrity of sport and on the Olympic Games. Therefore, the IOC will not hesitate to take the toughest sanctions available against any individual or organisation implicated."

The executive board could implement provisional sanctions for next month's Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.