Alexandra Brilliantova: ‘The procedure for unsealing the B sample will be different’

Head of the ROC Legal Department commented on the situation with positive doping tests of the 2008 Olympic Games participants.

‘We have received an official letter from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which reported on the positive doping tests of 14 Russian athletes who participated in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. The letter   contains guidance to find out if the suspected athletes want to witness the opening of the B sample.

I would like to note that this procedure will differ from the standard one. Typically, sample B is opened only at the request of the athlete. Now it will be done in any case. Before testing the sample B will be divided into two separate samples. The B2 sample will be immediately sealed and analysis of the B1 sample will take place in the presence of the NOCs representatives and the athletes themselves. If the B2 sample test is positive, the B2 sample will be tested on the athlete’s request.

During tomorrow the ROC must report to the IOC the names of athletes who want to attend   the opening of the B sample. Tests of all samples will be carried out at the Lausanne Anti-Doping Laboratory. It will take two days: May 31 and June 1. Representatives of the Russian Olympic Committee and I among them will attend the testing,’  said Alexandra Brilliantova.