Illustration: Liu Rui/GT

On November 9, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) released a critical report in Geneva, accusing Russian track and field athletes of widespread doping and cover-ups. The WADA also proposed to the International Olympic Committee to ban Russian athletes from attending next year's Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. The Council of the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) has provisionally suspended the All-Russia Athletic Federation with immediate effect for the alleged involvement in doping.

Not long after the release of the WADA report, senior officials in Russia's athletic field denied such accusations. They contend that the WADA investigations ran contrary to the facts and were based on prejudice against Russia's track and field sports.

Tensions between Russia and the West are still simmering. Especially since the outbreak of the Ukrainian crisis, the Western countries were dissatisfied with Russia and imposed heavy political, economic and diplomatic sanctions against Russia, and these sanctions have been escalating. After Russia dealt a heavy blow to the extreme forces on Syria's soil, the West has not hesitated to extend sanctions, a decision made by Western leaders on the margins of the recent G20 summit in Turkey.

Given the tense relations between Russia and the West, some believe the latest scandal involving Russian authorities is another sanction the West tries to impose on Russia through sports. Historically, there were cases in which sports were overshadowed by the contention of international relations.

For example, in the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, Western countries resisted to participate due to the Russian invasion of Afghanistan the year before. Despite its success, the involvement of political fights has dimmed the spirit of sports.

In December last year, German media broadcast a documentary The secrets of doping: How Russia makes its winners that created waves across the globe. It exposed the massive use of doping among individual athletes of Russia as well as government involvement in it.

Russian sports officials firmly denied such criticism and said only a small number of athletes committed doping and this had nothing to do with the government. Doping is a global issue which exists not only in Russia but also in the West. The West's accusations against Russia often entail political prejudice.

Admittedly, problems do exist in Russia's sports field in recent years, as some athletes used illicit drugs. This may be contributed to by a lack of regulation and supervision. But it is hard to tell if it is as common and serious as WADA has outlined in its long report.

Russia's "whole nation" sports system has changed dramatically. It has introduced a market system in its sports regulation. Athletic achievements in international games are tied to income and club success.

A transitional Russia faces a tough road ahead in its sports reforms, which has led to a downward trend of sports competitiveness of the nation. During the Soviet era, the national team was ranked first in the medal tally seven times. Judging from the number of gold medals that Russia has won in the past Olympic Games, the heyday of the Soviet era has long gone.

Under such circumstances, some athletes began to resort to quick success. The Russian government has tightened controls over violators and punished a number of athletes. The Russian Anti-Doping Agency said it has punished dozens of athletes and some are under investigation.

After the latest round of accusations, Russia will keep a stern eye to eliminate the negative influence brought about by the illicit action of a few athletes and keep the country's sports clean.

The author is an associate research fellow of the Institute of Russian, Eastern European, Central Asian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn