Statement on Richard McLaren’s Independent Report on Corruption in the International Weightlifting Federation

New revelations reinforce the need and importance of the Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act

FairSport commends Richard McLaren and the German news organization ARD for exposing doping corruption, vote buying and money laundering within the International Federation of Weightlifting. Yet again, the clean athletes of the world take the hit while sports leaders enrich themselves with very little accountability or oversight to force reform.

With Prof. McLaren’s report now complete, the larger question becomes what is the recourse and what are the consequences for those who have cheated the sporting system and undermined every athlete’s right to clean sport.

This attack on sport integrity by sport leaders reinforces the immediate need for the Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act. This legislation will make perpetrators of doping fraud and bribery criminally accountable for their actions and will deter others from eroding the rights of every athlete. There are simply too many conflicts of interests and divided loyalties for international sport to self govern, and for global regulators to take action.

During these dark times in sport, FairSport calls on the U.S. government to show global leadership by immediately enacting the Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act. Such actions will pave the way for a brighter future for sport and for every athlete that strives for clean and safe competition.