The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) on Tuesday set up an independent investigation for the first time in its history to look into the “serious” allegations of widespread doping in Russian athletics.
The commission will be led by Richard Pound, a former head of the agency and a leading and longstanding member of the International Olympic Committee, said a WADA statement.
WADA has acted following a series of German television documentaries which said Russian athletes were systematically given banned substances at international competitions.
Russian officials have strongly denied the accusations.
WADA said though that the panel will start work in January on “the serious doping allegations recently aired in a series of German television documentaries.”
The commission will seek to establish “if there have been any breaches of World Anti-Doping Code or International Standard processes or rules” including by WADA-accredited laboratories, athletes, coaches, trainers and doctors, said the statement.
It will “explore whether sufficient evidence exists that could lead to sanctions against any individual or organization under rules of the World Anti-Doping Code.”
Richard McLaren, a leading expert on international sports law and a member of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), will also sit on the commission.
WADA president Craig Reedie said the commission would analyse the documentaries and information received “separately” by the agency.
“The commission will be given the resources it needs in order for the investigation to be carried out thoroughly,” he added.
The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) welcomed the WADA announcement.
The IAAF ethics commission is also looking into the allegations.
“The IAAF takes this opportunity to reiterate its full support of the WADA investigation,” said IAAF president Lamine Diack.
“Our primary concern must always be to protect the integrity of competition in support of the vast majority of clean athletes, and we look forward to working with WADA to this end.”
An IAAF statement said the ethics commission will also “ensure all matters of concern are thoroughly and rigorously examined.”
The treasurer of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Valentin Balakhnichev, and Diack’s son have stepped down from their positions while the corruption and doping allegations are investigated.
Balakhnichev is also the president of the Russian Athletics Federation, while Diack’s son Papa Massata Diack has been working for the IAAF as a marketing consultant.
Diack stepped down after allegations of possible corruption linked to the attribution of the 2017 world athletics championships, which was handed to London ahead of Qatar.
Both Balaknichev and 50-year-old Diack deny the respective allegations.