So Mr. Putin has little time to address a problem that strikes at his and Russia’s prestige. Mr. Putin hopes to get Western economic sanctions lifted, however, so he will not want to escalate the rhetoric too much, Mr. Frolov said. Besides the supportive nationalists and the mocking opposition, there were a few calm voices suggesting there was too much to the WADA report to be invented. On the one hand, Mr. Putin went on at length with his boilerplate accusation that the decision was highly politicized, probably pushed by the sinister hand of the United States. Yet he also pledged cooperation, saying Russia would suspend all those named in the report and complete its own investigation.

Source: International New York Times July 19, 2016 05:25 UTC