Die Situation der beiden Flüchtlinge ist prekär, sie bräuchten dringend Unterstützung.

Aus diesem Grund wandte sich Vitali Stepanov, auch im namen seiner Frau Yulia am 6.6.2016 mit einem eindringlichen Brief an Thomas Bach (IOC), Sebastian Coe und Craig Reedie (WADA).

Dear all, Dear Mr. Bach, Dear Mr. Coe, Dear Mr. Reedie,

 

This is Vitaly Stepanov writing. I would like to address a few issues:

 

1.First of all, I and Yuliya would like to apologize to clean athletes around the world for the mistakes we had done in the past. But we hope we deserve the right to change, to admit our mistakes, and to compete clean. Over the past 3 years we have tried to do the right thing - we tried to fight doping and corrupt sports officials in Russia. Now we have to live with accusations and allegations of being traitors and criminals. We helped to uncover systematic doping in our home country and now, we kindly ask you to help us, by making it possible that Yuliya can compete again, has a chance to participate in major championships, and is not prevented from competing as a result of us trying to help athletics to become a clean and fair sport.

 

Yuliya was raised in a system in which doping was normal and an everyday business. She did not have the impression of doing wrong, as she was told by everybody around her that this was the only way of reaching top performances and that everybody else would do the same. She realized that was not true and that doping was ethically wrong. She is sorry. She accepted being punished for this. At no point did she use any of the evidence we collected and provided to lower her ban of two years, which she served fully as she had understood that she had cheated on other athletes. We took great risks in collecting evidence and we were aware of this. We still did it, because it was the right thing to do. Nobody will be interested in international competitions if one or a few countries are cheating and do not follow the rules of athletics competitions.The last 20 months have been very difficult for us. Yet, Yuliya has never stopped training. She ran the standards for the European Championships in Athletics and for the Olympic Games in Rio. But, she seems to have no chance to run there. She is Russian and that means that she is suspended. She is the one that helped to uncover the cheating and now is being punished for doing so. We hope that you will understand that we believe that this is a great injustice.

 

Even if Russia is reinstated for the Olympic Games in Rio, she cannot compete for the Russian team. We do not feel safe traveling home to Russia, especially after the death of Mr. Kamaev in February 2016, who was planning to expose even more facts about the doping system in different Russian sports . Even if we did, there is no possibility that Yuliya would be able to qualify for a major championship. The animosity of journalists, athletes, coaches and sports officials in our home country continues to be unbearable (if necessary we will provide to you hundreds of articles that are continued to be published confirming this statement). Russian social media are full of rant and hatred against us, not only from the general public, but also from many elite athletes. We betrayed long existed doping system in Russia. Although we are Russians, we know that Yuliya will never again be able to compete as a Russian.

 

We have asked for Yuliya to be tested and to be included in the IAAF testing pool in order to comply with all formal requests of the IAAF for Yuliya to compete. We had to ask, as nobody from the IAAF or European Athletics have offered any assistance, any support or any backing. She has passed all doping tests and is a clean athlete.

 

And now we address you with the one thing that we cannot do on our own or with the help of the people that have assisted us since we left Russia. It is Yuliya's dream to be able to compete as a clean athlete against other clean athletes in major championships. We kindly ask you to use your position to help to declare Yuliya eligible to compete without qualification and without any regard for the status of the Russian team. We ask that even if Russia is reinstated, that Yuliya be permitted to compete as an independent athlete, under the IAAF flag or something like that. Yuliya will continue to comply with all competition rules, including submitting to all anti-doping procedures. It is in your power to return trust to athletics but we will also be happy to participate in any events that will help athletics to become a clean and fair competition. Please, help us, only you can help to grant the eligibility to compete to Yuliya today.

 

2. In regards of the financial assistance that we received from WADA. We are thankful for the support that WADA has given to us in the past. But I think some of the articles that have been published lately can be misunderstood (especially in Russia).

5. Please, be aware of the message that my wife sent to IAAF, IAAF Task Force and WADA on March 10th, 2016:

"Dear President Lord Coe and Members of the IAAF Council, Dear Olivier Niggli and David Howman,

 

Please, be informed that I, Iuliia Stepanova, will be glad to return the prize money that I won while participating in IAAF competitions prior to my disqualification. The total amount that I won is $ 8 000 ( $4000 for 8th place in Daegu [2011] and $4000 for 6th place in Istanbul [2012]). In January 2015 IAAF allowed me not to return the above mentioned amount as recognition of providing substantial assistance in the fight against doping [the letter from IAAF that confirms so attached as "IAAF_Iulia Stepanova_30012015"] . I would love to continue provide assistance in the fight against doping. I realize that I earned $ 8000 with the help of prohibited substances and I will be glad to return $ 8000 to IAAF or directly to athletes that deserve this prize money according to the standings.

 

Best regards, Iuliia Stepanova"

 

This message was sent in respond to the petition that was led by Paula Radcliffe and included the following statement: “We protest in the strongest terms any reinstatements of any banned athletes (including so-called “whistle-blowers”) without the full repayment of their unfairly gained prize moneys." I do understand that Paula Radcliffe as a strong supporter of doping fighting, probably doesNOT think that my wife deserves another chance. I do hope that somebody forwards this message to Paula Radcliffe. I hope she is willing to talk to us."

But in any case, as soon as IAAF tells us, we will return $ 8 000 to IAAF or directly to athletes that deserve this prize money according to the standings.

 

6. Dmitry Shlyakhtin, the new president of the All-Russia Athletics Federation (ARAF) said to THE TIMES on May 2nd, 2016: “They[Stepanovs] made an enemy of the Russian federation,” Shlyakhtin said. “Repeatedly, I have tried to contact them by email. I gave them a letter suggesting we meet in Spain or France. Fears? They are not needed by anyone. I fail to understand their position. They need to calm down. They need to come out of hiding. Only Russia can help them solve their problems.”

 

On May 9th, 2016 we did learn that Mr. Shlyakhtin did write to us. On May 10th, 2016 we wrote to Mr. Shlyakhtin. Mr. Butov confirmed that he received our letter and forwarded our letter to Mr. Shlyakhtin as well. As of today, June 5th, 2016 there was no reply from Mr. Shlyakhtin, which to me shows that Mr. Schlyakhtin is not interested to talk to us and also he lied to THE TIMES. We have sent evidence to the IAAF task force that the Russian athletics federation, the Russian Ministry of Sports and the Russian police have no interest of helping Yuliya. In fact those organizations fired her and are making sure that Yuliya's intentions are discredited and she is seen as a traitor, and a criminal inside of Russia.

 

7. In regards of the investigation on new Russian doping allegations. I'm not in the position to give any comments about my and my wife's involvement, but I can assure you 100% that we are helping to fight doping in sports. As soon as I'm in the position to tell more, I will inform WADA investigative person, WADA IP, and the IAAF Task Force.

 

8. Please, also look at the attached signed affidavits by Yuliya and me (attached file "Affidavit of Iuliia Stepanova and Vitaly Stepanov - June 5, 2016").