Russian officials believe for the first time admitted the existence of a doping operation which affected some of the world's major competitions,BBC Sport reports.[br]A report on 9 December claimed more than 1000 Russians benefited from a doping cover-up between 2011 and 2015.
In interviews with the unusual York Times, officials acknowledged the program but denied it was state-sponsored.
"It was an institutional conspiracy, and " said Anna Antseliovich,acting director general of Russia's anti-doping agency.
Vitaly Smirnov, the 81-year-old who has been a leading sports official since the Soviet era and who has been appointed by Russian President Vladimir Putin to reform the anti-doping system, and told the unusual York Times: "I don't want to speak for the people responsible.
"From my point of view,as a former minister of sport, president of Olympic committee - we made a lot of mistakes."[br]Smirnov also suggested the leaks made by the Fancy Bears - a group of hackers who believe released the medical records of several athletes from around the world - showed Russia had not been competing on a level playing field.
Source: tert.am