He said: "The main problem is that the control measures do not meet the European countries' standards, we lag behind and have troubles."

 

Russia is anxious to protect its reputation because it will host the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi , the first Olympics on its soil since the 1980 Moscow Games and a prestige project for the Kremlin.

 

Late last month Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin also said that Russia should set up a state-run doping control system and punish those who break the rules more severely, athletes and sports officials included.

 

Three Russian biathlon racers had been tested positive for a banned substance at the Biathlon World Championships in South Korea recently.

 

Seven Russian female athletes were disqualified from the 2008 Beijing Olympics only days ahead of its opening because they were ruled to have switched urine samples before tests for performance-enhancing drugs.