'60 Minutes' report: Russian gold medalists were on PEDs at Sochi

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Saturday, May 7, 2016

Four Russian gold-medal winners at the Sochi Olympics used performance-enhancing drugs, according to the whistleblowers who exposed systemic cheating in that country's track program and took part in a "60 Minutes" interview that airs Sunday.

In the interview, an excerpt of which appears on CBS Evening News on Friday, Vitaly Stepanov says the former head of Russia's drug-testing lab told him he had a "Sochi List" of Russians who competed on performance-enhancing drugs, and four athletes on that list won gold medals.

Stepanov and his wife, 800-meter runner Yulia, revealed details about doping on the Russian track team that led to an investigation, which has put the team's status in jeopardy for the upcoming Summer Olympics. The team's fate will be determined next month at a meeting of the sport's governing body.

Athletes and others have called for the investigation, undertaken by an independent commission appointed by the World Anti-Doping Agency, to expand beyond track. Lead investigator Dick Pound kept the initial probe centered on track -- the investigation's mandate. WADA leaders have said they would consider expanding the investigation if evidence calls for it.

WADA spokesman Ben Nichols said agency leaders "will watch the ('60 Minutes') program with interest" but won't comment until they've seen the entire thing.

The WADA Foundation Board meets next week in Montreal; an update on the commission's investigation and enhancements to WADA's whistleblowing policy are on the agenda.

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