Russia’s Minister of Sport apologized for athletes and coaches who have broken anti-doping rules as the country’s track and field athletes face a ban from competing at the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
In a piece published in The Sunday Times, a British newspaper, Vitaly Mutko acknowledged “serious mistakes have been made” by Russia’s sports federation management, athletes and coaches.
“Let us be clear. We are ashamed of them,” he wrote.
“We are very sorry that athletes who tried to deceive us, and the world, were not caught sooner. We are very sorry because Russia is committed to upholding the highest standards in sport and is opposed to anything that threatens the Olympic values.