MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday said the whistleblower at the source of doping allegations Grigory Rodchenkov was an "idiot" who should not be trusted, though admitting there have been "instances" of doping use.
"They've got this idiot Rodchenkov," Putin said, apparently referring to the US, where Rodchenkov has fled. "Everything is based on testimony of this man... can he even be trusted?"
He added however that it's partially Russia's "own fault" for being under scrutiny for doping. "After all, there were instances of doping use," he said.