Russia doping scandal: Tatyana Firova suggests athletes should be able to take banned substances

Anti-doping officials have started re-testing urine samples dating back to 2008

Tatyana Firova (Getty)

Russian three-time Olympic silver medallist Tatyana Firova has argued that athletes should be able to take banned substances, saying they would not “achieve high results” without them.

The 33-year-old 400m runner, who recently failed a re-examined drugs test from the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, won silver in the 4x400m relay in 2004, 2008 and 2012 and has argued that “bureaucrats” must share responsibility for the doping scandal.

Anti-doping officials have re-tested urine samples dating back to 2008, resulting in positive results from 54 athletes across that period of time. Firova declined to comment when asked whether she had taken banned drugs but did offer an opinion on the scandal which threatens the sport's integrity.

“We sportsmen are performers, we follow the rules that are given to us by the system,” she told Sky News. “A normal person can take banned substances if they want to. So why can't athletes take them as well? How else can we achieve high results?”

Firova admitted she is worried ahead of the decision on 17 June where it will be decided if Russian track and field athletes will be allowed to participate next month at the Olympics in Rio.

Russian officials, meanwhile, have recently given the media unprecedented access to their training camp in an effort to quell the doping allegations which continue to engulf athletics.

“Of course I am worried,” Firova added. “I have been preparing for a long time. I am a young, clean athlete. Why should I have to miss the Olympics? I really don't understand this.”