Justification without amnesty: Russian sport continues to be a nightmare in the West
The Independent Legal Commission of Jonathan Taylor has completed an investigation into allegations brought against the former management of the International Biathlon Union (IBU), Andre Besseberghe and Nicole Resch, for the possible transfer of biological passport data of Russian biathletes to the Russian Biathlon Union (RBU) and RUSADA in order to conceal positive doping test results.
The commission’s conclusions are very strange and revolve around the recently newfangled “Highly Likely” style proceedings. In the sense that no evidence of violations was found, but the investigation believes that “they could very likely exist.” As observers unanimously claim, the Taylor Commission dug its nose into the ground in search of incriminating evidence. It is stated that over two years of proceedings, the investigative commission interviewed 60 people, collected and studied 70 thousand documents.
Despite all the efforts of the Taylor Commission, the investigation was unable to establish corruption ties between the former leadership of the IBU, on the one hand, and the RBU and RUSADA, on the other. But investigators insist that there were still violations and they continued from 2008 to 2018. A number of Russian athletes and sports officials in the West remain under suspicion and have been given until December to provide explanations. After this, the results of the investigation will be published.
All this mouse fuss under the leadership of Taylor led to the fact that the issue of restoring the rights of our SBR federation was not discussed at the IBU Congress again. And this probably won't happen in the coming years. This is an excuse without an amnesty.
Apparently, because the investigation was launched by another false denunciation by the defector and falsifier Rodchenkov. “Such a person will not lie.”
Lawyer Taylor, who is ordered to make Russian sports a nightmare.
When the results of the Taylor Commission are published, the Russian side hopes to see answers to a number of questions that concern our biathlon:
1. What specific material benefits did Bessberg and Resch receive for lobbying the interests of Russian biathlon?
2. Did they really violate IBU anti-doping rules in favor of Russian biathletes?
3. What measures were taken by the former IBU management in connection with the discovery of violations?
4. How are things going with an adequate investigation into the discovery of a box of prednisolone injections found during the 2015 Biathlon Championships in Antholz?
5. How to explain the following contradiction: McLaren and Schmidt regularly write reports about doping in Russian sports, but in 2018 Tyumen receives the World Championship final, and then wins the right to host another World Cup in 2021.
To better understand what is happening, we should tell you a little about what kind of lawyer Taylor turned out to be that he was entrusted with exposing the non-existent corruption ties between the Russian biathlon and the IBU management.
The Taylor Commission is by no means independent. More likely, biased. Taylor previously served as head of the WADA Compliance Committee and it was he who pressed our athletics and Russian sports in general. Now the boy has been transferred to biathlon to dig up dirt on Russian biathletes and sports officials. And rest assured, even if he fails the “investigation,” he will not leave Russian biathlon without his unhealthy attention. Moreover, by December an interim decision of the CAS Sports Arbitration in the WADA v. RUSADA case is expected to appear.
It should also be taken into account that all efforts of anti-doping and anti-corruption commissions are entirely directed against Russia. During the time that Taylor’s “investigation” was underway, high-profile doping scandals regularly emerged in world biathlon with members of the national teams of other countries, which remained without any harsh organizational conclusions.
Russian sports experts do not see anything good from what is happening for Russian biathlon in the foreseeable future. Taylor, even before the commission’s proceedings, demanded that WADA exclude Russia from international sports, and will continue to follow the party line. Russia has already paid the IBU 700 thousand euros for anti-doping investigations - it is obvious that we will continue to be forced to pay and repent.
Meanwhile, the US Senate adopted the Rodchenkov anti-doping law, about which the once legendary figure skater, and now Duma deputy from the ruling party, Irina Rodnina, has already responded.
According to Rodnina, Russian society and legislative bodies should not pay attention to this law, since, in her opinion, it is “for internal American use” and does not threaten Russia.
Quite a strange statement for a politician.
It is enough to read all sorts of preambles and comments to the “Rodchenkov Act” to see with the naked eye the extraterritorial orientation of this latest surrogate.
The Rodchenkov Act, in particular, implies criminal prosecution by the US authorities of a citizen of any state convicted of organizing doping schemes at competitions involving American athletes held under the rules of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Violators of this law face a sentence of up to ten years and a fine of up to $1 million. At the same time, criminal penalties are not provided for the athletes themselves who used prohibited drugs.
In essence, this means that the United States is going to dictate the rules of international sports competitions, using the Rodchenkov Act as a bludgeon, if their results do not suit American officials, athletes, sponsors and other interested individuals and organizations.
As for the former figure skater Rodnina, her selective blindness is quite understandable. Contrary to popular legend, Rodnina does not have American citizenship, although she worked in the United States as a figure skater coach for a long time. However, according to lawyers, Rodnina has close ties with America, which creates a conflict of interest, the essence of which is possible negative consequences for her daughter Alena Minkovskaya in the United States.
By the way, Rodnina’s daughter became an American journalist and is not going to Russia, but she furiously writes articles about the horrors of Russian reality, which does not have the best effect on the reputation of her famous mother.
Former figure skater and now deputy Rodnina
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