MOSCOW (RIA Novosti) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Feburary 24 that a state doping control system should be established for Russian sports and tougher penalties may be introduced for those who break the rules.
"Every provision should be made and a state [doping] control mechanism established, and we should act vigorously. If necessary, let's also discuss moves to toughen penalties," Putin said at a meeting of the presidential council on sports development and arrangements for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
Two weeks ago three Russian biathlon racers tested positive for the Russian version of the banned substance Erythropoietin (EPO) at the Biathlon World Championship in South Korea's Pyeongchang. The athletes were all disqualified and forced to leave the country.
"I request the Sports, Tourism and Youth Policy Ministry to involve the sporting public and continue a thorough analysis of the current situation and to draw practical conclusions," Putin said.
Last year with only several days before the opening of the 2008 Olympics in China, seven Russian women athletes were disqualified from the Games after they were ruled to have switched urine samples before tests for performance-enhancing drugs.
Bayern Munich interested in CSKA's Zhirkov
MOSCOW (RIA Novosti) - Bayern Munich are interested in buying CSKA Moscow's Yury Zhirkov, the German Sport Bild paper said on Feburary 25.
The paper said that the German giants saw Zhirkov, one of Russia's best players at last summer's Euro 2008, as a replacement for Philipp Lahm in the left of defense.
Lahm is expected to be moved to right back.
Neither 25-year-old Zhirkov nor CSKA have commented on the news.
Zhirkov has also been linked with a move to Chelsea, currently coached by Guus Hiddink, trainer of the Russian national team.
CSKA face Aston Villa in a second leg Round of 32 UEFA Cup tie on Feburary 24. The first leg ended 1-1.
Platini to check on Euro 2012 preparations in April
KIEV (RIA Novosti) - UEFA President Michel Platini will visit Ukraine and Poland on April 14-17 for meetings with the leadership of both countries to receive assurances on preparations for the Euro 2012 soccer tournament.
"Within the framework of the visit, the president of UEFA will meet with senior state officials in order to, obviously, obtain new signals that the authorities will go forward jointly and stably work toward the realization of the Euro 2012 project," said president of the Ukrainian Football Federation, Hryhory Surkis.
Ukraine and Poland are co-hosting the European Football Championship in 2012 but doubts have been raised over progress in renovating stadiums and improving infrastructure, with Ukraine a particular concern.
Platini went so far in December as to warn Kiev that all the games could be switched to Poland if Ukraine did not complete construction work on the capital's Olympic Stadium.
Surkis added that Platini would visit all the Ukrainian host cities at the end of July, by which time the Ukrainian Football Union expects UEFA to have confirmed which cities will host matches.
The Ukrainian government said in early February that an official UEFA delegation led by secretary general David Taylor gave a positive assessment of Ukraine's preparations during a four-day at the start of the month.
Sberbank chosen as sponsor for 2014 Olympics
MOSCOW (RIA Novosti) - Sberbank will sponsor the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi, a business paper reported on Wednesday.
The Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee picked Sberbank as a partner for the Olympic Games in the banking category, a government official told Vedomosti. The information was confirmed by the Tourism and Sports Ministry.
How much the deal is worth has not been revealed but it could amount to $110 million-$130 million, Vedomosti reported.
Sberbank and the organizing committee made no comment on the information yesterday.
On February 24, Russia's state-controlled crude producer Rosneft was named a main sponsor for the Sochi Olympic and the Paralympics in the oil category. Rosneft will also be a partner for the Russian Olympic Committee and the Russian Olympic team until 2016, with a sponsorship contract worth $180 million, Vedomosti said.
Zaitseva wins gold at biathlon Worlds
PYEONGCHANG, South Korea (RIA Novosti) - Russia's Olga Zaitseva won a 12.5 km women's mass start biathlon race at the World Championship in Pyeongchang on Sunday.
Zaitseva crossed the finish line after 34 minutes and 18.3 seconds with just two penalties. Ex-Russian national Anastasiya Kuzmina from Slovakia was a great surprise, finishing second (7.5 seconds behind the winner) while Sweden's Helena Jonsson was third (12.3 seconds behind the winner).
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