Burson-Marsteller Europe is advising Russia as the country faces allegations of state-sponsored doping and potential bans of its athletes from the upcoming Summer Olympics in Rio De Janeiro.
The World Anti-Doping Agency in November said Russia's anti-doping laboratory chief was the head of a state-sponsored doping ring involving the country's athletes. The official later told the New York Times that he acted at the direction of the Russian government to supply banned substances for athletes in global competition.
"Burson-Marsteller Europe is advising on a range of communications and media issues relating to Russia's participation at the Summer Olympic Games in Rio," said Catherine Sullivan, managing director of worldwide communications for the firm in New York.
Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko penned an op-ed in London's Sunday Times apologizing for the scandal. "We are very sorry that athletes who tried to deceive us, and the world, were not caught sooner. We are very sorry because Russia is committed to upholding the highest standards in sport and is opposed to anything that threatens the Olympic values," he wrote.
The International Olympic Committee said this week that Russian athletes could be banned from the upcoming Games. IOC chief Thomas Bach wrote in an op-ed to USA Today on May 17 that consequences could range from life-long Olympic bans for implicated people to financial sanctions and exclusion of the country athletic federations.
The US Justice Dept. is also investigating.
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