A hearing on the Russian doping scandal will be held by the United States' Helsinki Commission ©Helsinki Commission

A hearing on the Russian doping scandal will be held by the United States' Helsinki Commission in Washington. D.C. next week, it has been announced.

The briefing, looking at the need to protect whistleblowers and how to tackle fraud in sport, is due to take place at the US Capitol Visitor Center Washington on Thursday (February 22).

The group, also known as the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, will hold a discussion on the Oscar-nominated documentary Icarus during the hearing.

The hearing comes amid claims from Russia that the US orchestrated the doping scandal.

Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed in November that it was deliberately masterminded by the US to increase discontent before he is due to stand for re-election this year.

Sergei Lavrov, Russia's Foreign Minister, blamed the US for the doping scandal after claiming the country "can't beat us fairly".

The briefing is set to be attended by the lawyer for former Moscow Laboratory director Grigory Rodchenkov, whose testimony on the presence of a state-sponsored doping scheme in Russia led to the country being forced to compete as neutrals at the Winter Olympic Games here.

Rodchenkov, part of the witness protection programme in the US, has repeatedly claimed he fears for his life and that Putin will attempt to assassinate him.

The claims from the whistleblower have been dismissed as "lies" by the Kremlin.

Jim Walden, lawyer for former Moscow Laboratory director Grigory Rodchenkov, left, is due to speak at the hearing of the United States' Helsinki Commission in Washington D.C. ©Icarus
Jim Walden, lawyer for former Moscow Laboratory director Grigory Rodchenkov, left, is due to speak at the hearing of the United States' Helsinki Commission in Washington D.C. ©Icarus

"After fleeing Russia for fear of retaliation, Dr. Rodchenkov now lives a precarious life in the United States, relying on whistleblower protections and fearful that Russian agents may one day come knocking," read the announcement on the Helsinki Commission's website.

"This briefing features Dr. Rodchenkov’s attorney, Jim Walden, for a conversation on combating fraud in sports and the role of whistleblowers in safeguarding the integrity of international competitions. 

"It will also include a discussion of the Oscar-nominated documentary Icarus, which chronicles Dr. Rodchenkov’s journey from complicit head of Russia’s anti-doping laboratory to courageous whistleblower."

The Commission is an independent US Government agency, created by Congress in 1975 to monitor and encourage compliance with the Helsinki Final Act.

The Act was established as part of an attempt to ease strained relations between the Communist bloc and Western nations.

The Commission describes its duties as promoting human rights, military security, and economic cooperation in 57 countries in Europe, Eurasia, and North America.