Medvedev on WADA’s decision: anti-Russian hysteria has grown chronic

The decision of the World Anti-Doping Agency to bar Russian athletes from participation in Olympic Games and world championships for four years is a manifestation of the chronic anti-Russian hysteria, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medevedev said.

"The fact that these decisions keep on repeating and are often applicable to those athletes who have already been punished this or that way, obviously makes one think that it is a continuation of the anti-Russian hysteria that has already grown chronic," TASS cited him as saying.

According to the PM, the country's relevant organizations should appeal the decision of the World Anti-Doping Agency on Russia. "I believe those organizations that are responsible for this, I mean Russian organizations that deal with these issues, should mull over challenging this decision," Medvedev noted.

He has acknowledged that Russian sports have faced some doping problems. "Just recently I said in an interview that in this particular case, on the Russian side, too, I mean in our sports community, there still exist considerable problems with doping. It is impossible to deny this," Medvedev said.