麻豆约拍

Bloodsport is the story of the systematic doping of the 2012 and 2014 Olympics by the Russian state, its subsequent unmasking and the ongoing fall out amidst the power play of nation against nation. The Evening Standard's sports correspondent Matt Majendie tells the whole story from 2012 till now.

Episode 1 takes us inside the war between dopers and testers at the London games. We鈥檒l also meet key whistle-blowers Vitali and Julia Stepanov - currently in hiding in the US - and we鈥檒l get our first glimpse of the mastermind behind the whole scandal. Dr Grigory Rodchenkov.

For the first time, you鈥檒l hear the whole story from 2012 to 2020 told by the people who were there. You鈥檒l hear from Paula Radcliffe and Sebastian Coe on London 2012, you鈥檒l meet the expert German investigator who cracked the case wide open and from athletes who doped. We鈥檝e got access to the elite Swiss lab racing to finish testing London 2012 samples and we鈥檝e spoken to the guy who masterminded doping control at the London games.

You鈥檒l also hear first-hand testimony from people who blew the whistle inside Russia (at the risk of their own lives) and from seasoned journalists who watched open-mouthed as the whole thing unfolded. And we鈥檒l take you into the ongoing arms race between doper and tester, to see how the science of testing plays out in the analysis of blood and urine samples.

Despite it being eight years ago, the story isn鈥檛 over. There are unfinished corruption trials in French Courts and ongoing allegations of flagrant Russian cheating (even as the Russian government denies all the evidence). Against all this is the soon-to-be pressing question of whether Russia will participate in the now postponed Tokyo Olympics. The credibility of the Olympic movement might hang on the decision. The clock is ticking.