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U.S., Canadian Anti-Doping Campaigners Urge Olympics Ban Against Russia


A letter drafted by U.S. and Canadian anti-doping campaigners is urging that Russia be removed from the 2016 Summer Olympics.

The letter is being circulated just days before the public release of a report detailing allegations of a state-sponsored doping system that corrupted Russia's entire sports program.

The letter was to be sent to International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach and the IOC executive board after the release on July 18 of an investigative report by Canadian lawyer Richard McLaren.

It calls for the IOC to take action by July 26 to ensure that Russia's Olympic Committee and sports federations are banned from the Rio Olympics, which begin on August 5.

Russia is already banned from international athletics because of the doping scandal.

European Olympic Committees President Pat Hickey, meanwhile, has complained about support for the letter from the head of the World Anti-Doping Agency's athletes commission.

Hickey said IOC member Beckie Scott, the Canadian chairman of the WADA athletes commission, was "totally against internationally recognized fair legal process" and may have undermined the integrity and credibility of McLaren's report.

Based on reporting by AP and AFP

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