Stephen Lendman

Last week, Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko fired back against reports indicating US Justice Department officials launched an investigation into alleged doping of Russian athletes, saying:

“There are enough violations of anti-doping rules round the world, and they can all be probed. We would like to see the United States probing its own national team. The atmosphere there is far from being cloudless.”

Late last year, Putin ordered a thorough investigation into alleged doping of Russian athletes, saying offenders alone should be punished, not an entire country. “(T)hat’s the rule,” he stressed.

In November, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) published a report describing what it called “state-sponsored” doping in Russia, recommending its athletes be banned from international competition - notably this summer’s Rio de Janeiro Olympic games.

Last week, The New York Times said the US Justice Department opened an investigation into alleged doping of Russian athletes.

“The United States attorney’s office for the Eastern District of New York is scrutinizing Russian government officials, athletes, coaches, antidoping authorities and anyone who might have benefited unfairly from a doping regimen, according to the people, who did not have authorization to speak about the inquiry publicly,” The Times reported.

“Prosecutors are believed to be pursuing conspiracy and fraud charges.” International law is clear. No nation may interfere in the internal affairs of others, except in self-defense if attacked.

America has no legal right to investigate alleged doping of Russian athletes, undertaken solely to denigrate and disqualify them from international competition - part of longstanding US state-sponsored Russia bashing.

Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said his government “treat(s) with notable skepticism and a notable degree of misunderstanding and rejection the cases of the ex-territorial application of the jurisdiction of US courts that have become quite widespread lately.”

At the same time, Russia supports an independent investigation short of “cast(ing) a shadow on our champions who take part in honest competitions.”

Doping isn’t an exclusive Russian problem. Numerous US amateur and professional athletes were caught red-handed, notably high-profile ones.

America is the world capital of criminality, corporate and state-sponsored high crimes gone unpunished, doping inconsequential by comparison.

Russia bashing in all forms makes headline news. Media scoundrels ignore US high crimes. Upside down justice badly needs right-siding. World peace depends on it.

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Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks World War III".

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

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