Lukin: Russian preparations continue for Paralympics

Vladimir Lukin: Seventy-six Russian athletes are monitored by ADAMS (Anti-Doping Administration and Management System), and no accusations were brought against them.

A flag bearing the Olympic rings sits next to the flag of Russia.

Russia's athletes will continue to prepare for the 2016 Paralympic Games despite the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) implementing a blanket ban.

Allegations of state-sponsored doping made in an independent report commissioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency have cast serious doubt over Russian competitors.

The stance taken by the IPC differs from that of the International Olympic Committee, who left it to sports' individual federations to determine which competitors could take part at the Olympic Games.

However, the president of the Russian Paralympic Committee (RPC) Vladimir Lukin is confident its appeal will be successful. "We continue working, our Paralympic team continues preparations for the Games," Lukin is quoted as saying by Russian news agency TASS.

"Seventy-six Russian athletes are monitored by ADAMS (Anti-Doping Administration and Management System), and no accusations were brought against them. "We hope that the appeal will be satisfied."

Lukin insists Russia have honoured the IPC commitments relating to doping and is adamant most of the nation's Paralympians are clean. He added: "Over the period of more than three years, either 35 or 20 doping samples have been found, but they have disappeared and the names of Para-athletes are not given.

"However, a decision was made on this ground to suspend the RPC's membership. This means an actual ban on our athletes to compete at the Paralympics.

"This means that the team, which numbers about 270 athletes, is banned to do what it has been doing in the past several years, its training practice. "An overwhelming majority of athletes are absolutely clean. They have had their doping samples taken on numerous occasions.

"I would like to say that to comply with the Anti-Doping Code, it is necessary to honour all IPC's commitments. 

"Chapter two, paragraphs one and three say that it is the responsibility of a national Paralympic committee to make sure that all athletes and personnel are aware of the list of prohibited drugs. "We have evidence that this is precisely what we have been doing."