“Russia needs to conduct own investigation into claims of doping” – President Putin

"It is essential that we conduct our own internal investigation and provide the most open - and I want to underline - the most open professional cooperation with international anti-doping structures," the Russian President.

Vladimir Putin has said Russia needs to conduct its own investigation into claims its athletes have systematically taken performance-enhancing substances.

Mr Putin was speaking for the first time since the allegations were made in a report commissioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

He said Russia needed to cooperate with international organisations looking into the issue as openly as it could.

"I ask the minister of sport and all our colleagues who are linked in one way or another with sport to pay this issue the greatest possible attention," he said.

Mr Putin said the problem of doping was not confined to Russia, but the country had a duty to protect its athletes from banned substances.

"The battle must be open. A sporting contest is only interesting when it is honest," he said.

He added that if problems were found someone would have to personally assume responsibility.