Russia says ready to investigate doping allegations (Reuters)

Russia is ready to carry out an investigation into doping allegations against its athletes in concert with independent organizations, Interfax news agency quoted Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko as saying on Friday. Mutko labeled allegations by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) of a widespread and state-backed drug culture in Russian athletics as “absurd”, Interfax reported. Russian Olympic Committee President Alexander Zhukov, who is also an IOC member, arrived this week in Lausanne and met with International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach in a hastily-arranged meeting in a bid to contain the fallout from the scandal, a source within the Olympic movement said.