Putin wants Russian diplomats to 'refine' doping rules
WADA has accused country of running state-sponsored doping program
Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his country's diplomats on Tuesday to seek changes to international doping rules in the wake of the nation's drug scandals.
Putin said the Foreign Ministry should try to alter the key treaty underpinning anti-doping work worldwide. He said Russian diplomats working with UNESCO should aim to "refine" the existing International Convention against Doping in Sport so that "the rules are fair and absolutely transparent."
Putin didn't say exactly what changes need to be made or how they could be achieved. He was meeting Tuesday with Russian athletes from the Paralympics, who were required to compete at this month's games under the designation "Neutral Paralympic Athletes" as part of the country's punishment for what the International Paralympic Committee said was widespread doping in previous years.
The treaty is the basis for the global drug-testing system led by the World Anti-Doping Agency, which has accused Russia of running a state-sponsored doping program in dozens of sports.
Former Moscow anti-doping laboratory director Grigory Rodchenkov has said he helped Russian athletes use performance-enhancing drugs and covered up their doping use, including at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
The Russian government has said it and its athletes have unfairly been maligned.
The convention was adopted in 2005 and requires 187 signatories, including Russia and the United States, to follow WADA rules on no-notice testing for athletes and other anti-doping provisions. Countries can propose amendments at a conference held every two years in Paris. The last such conference took place in September.