MOSCOW, March 30 (RAPSI) – Russia’s government has adopted a list of substances and methods which are prohibited from use in sports, according to the Cabinet’s statement.

The list includes among others anabolics, peptide hormones, growth factors and mimetics, hormones and metabolism modulators, blood and components manipulations, chemical and physical manipulations, gene doping.

The passed decision will contribute toward reducing the risk of doping violations, raising responsibility of coaches, doctors in sports medicine and other sports specialists, the statement reads.

In November 2016, President Vladimir Putin signed a law introducing criminal punishment for doping offenses. The legislation envisages more serious punishments for inducing athletes to use any substance and (or) method prohibited to be used in sports, and for athletes proven to take prohibited substances. Under the law, coaches, doctors in sports medicine and other sports professionals would face punishment ranging from fines of up to 300,000 rubles ($4,700) to imprisonment of up to 3 years depending on the offense severity.

In 2014, the German TV channel ARD aired the film-the investigation about alleged use of doping by Russian athletes. The scandalous documentary triggered an investigation by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). On November 9, 2015, WADA held a press-conference in Geneva where independent commission of the organization accused Russia of numerous anti-doping rules violations. Commission recommended International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) to suspend Russian athletes from participation in competitions under its auspices, including the 2016 Olympics.

IAAF followed the recommendation and suspended the Russian Athletics Federation (ARAF). Subsequently, anti-doping laboratory in Moscow was suspended while RUSADA was declared non-compliant to WADA Codex standards.