Russian sports minister Mutko pledges new anti-doping action

SOCHI, Russia (Reuters) – Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko on Wednesday pledged his country would adopt new measures to clamp down on doping including devising new testing methods and possibly opening criminal cases against athletes suspected of cheating.

Mutko was speaking after an independent commission established by the World Anti-Doping Commission (WADA) accused Russian athletes, aided by officials, of engaging in systematic and widespread doping.

(Reporting by Denis Dyomkin, writing by Andrew Osborn)