Russia may create new anti-doping agency, will talk to IOC: Sports minister

MOSCOW - Russia may create a new anti-doping agency to address concerns about its athletics programme, Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko was quoted as saying by the news agency R-Sport on Friday.

Mutko was also quoted as saying he would speak to Thomas Bach, the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), later on Friday. "We are ready ... to either reform or create a new anti-doping organisation, we are ready for wide cooperation," Mutko told R-Sport.

The agency also quoted Mutko as saying his ministry, the Russian Olympic Committee, and the country's Athletic Federation, had already held talks with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), and the IOC about the doping scandal.