Russian Gold Medalists Allegedly Used Steroids in Sochi

Four Russian gold-medal winners are alleged to have used steroids when the country hosted the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.  

CBS News reports former Russian Anti-Doping Agency official Vitaly Stepanov provided the details in an exclusive 60 Minutes interview that is scheduled to air Sunday evening on CBS.

Stepanov explained to 60 Minutes' Armen Keteyian that Grigory Rodchenkov from the country's drug testing lab told him Russian intelligence officers worked to help Russian athletes cheat during the Games. Rodchenkov informed Stephanov he had a "Sochi List," which names the athletes, including gold-medal winners, who used steroids.

"It's a stunning revelation. And if true, it's a devastating blow to the Olympic values," United States Anti-Doping Agency CEO Travis Tygart told 60 Minutes about the new details.

CBS News' initial report included no names of the alleged offenders.

Last November, BBC Sport noted the Russian athletics federation was provisionally banned from all international competitions for allegedly taking part in widespread doping. The suspension included possible exclusion from the 2016 Summer Games in Brazil.

Owen Gibson of the Guardian provided an update from International Association of Athletics Federations President Sebastian Coe in March. He stated Russia still needed to showcase further improvements before May's special council meeting to get cleared for Olympic participation.

"While progress has been made, the Council unanimously agreed the Russian authorities need to undertake further significant work to satisfy the reinstatement conditions, so RusAF [the Russian Athletics Federation] should not be reinstated at this stage," Coe said.

The IAAF may take the latest information into consideration when weighing whether to allow Russia to take part in the Rio Olympics, according to the CBS News report. Tygart told 60 Minutes he didn't believe the country should be allowed "at the expense of clean athletes' rights."

A date for May's IAAF meeting to decide Russia's fate hasn't yet been announced. The organization stated in March the council was first awaiting a task force recommendation, which is expected some time early this month.