The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the former President of the German Athletics Association, Clemens Prokop, responded to sports show reports on the precarious situation of the Russian Doping-Whistleblower Julia and Witali Stepanow. The two commented on the German Press Agency (dpa).
The background is a report by the ARD doping editorial team in which the Stepanov couple talks about his uncertain future in the United States. Despite their role in uncovering the state -organized doping system in Russia in 2014, they still live without a secure residence status in the United States. A designation to Russia – where they are considered traitors – is a real danger. In the article, Witali Stepanow criticized that the anti-doping institutions have so far not been sufficiently recognizable.
IOC: supported with $ 400,000
The IOC rejected this representation. Julia Stepanowa was supported with a scholarship between 2016 and 2022, and her husband’s advisory activity had been extended several times. Overall, the couple was funded with around $ 400,000. However, the organization emphasized that the IOC has no influence on decisions about citizenship.
The former German Athletics Association President Clemens Prokop, who acted as the contact person during the first stay of the stepanows in Germany, called the current situation a “Terrible, unbearable situation”. The couple is a “Ducking example” For other potential whistleblower.