Putin says Russia hopes to turn page on doping at Olympics

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He reserved scathing remarks for Grigory Rodchenkov, the former head of the Moscow anti-doping laboratory who described running a doping program and coverups over several years on orders from Russian government officials.

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Referring to him as “this nutjob Rodchenkov,” Putin said he was an unreliable witness who “should be put in prison.” Putin also repeated a claim he made last month that Rodchenkov, who is under witness protection in the United States and says he fears for his life, is “under the control of the U.S. special services.”

Putin also called on Russian athletes to obey International Olympic Committee rules at the Pyeongchang Games. The IOC has required Russians to compete in uniforms without national symbols and bars them from gestures like taking a national flag from spectators to celebrate.

“I call on all our athletes to follow all the rules that the International Olympic Committee suggests,” Putin said, adding that Russia would “financially support and morally support” athletes who weren’t allowed to compete.

The IOC has been criticized by some Russian sports officials in recent weeks after ruling some top medal hopes didn’t pass its vetting process. However, Putin said Russia would continue to work with international sports organizations.

One Russian athlete who didn’t receive an IOC invitation, biathlon world champion Anton Shipulin, was in the audience along with boxer Alexander Povetkin, who has twice had title fights called off after testing positive for banned substances.

James Ellingworth, The Associated Press