Skip to content
Sign In Subscribe
russia — articles — olympics — ioc — vitaly smirnov — soviet union — vladimir putin — kgb — fsb — gru — intelligence — horst dassler — cas — doping — andré guelfi — stasi — secret service — olympic spies — compromat

Compromat. KGB. FSB. GRU. An intelligence overview of Putin’s relationship with the IOC

For decades there has been speculation about information and possibly incriminating material on IOC members and other big names that might be stored in Moscow's secret service archives. If anyone had access to compromat, it was Vladimir Putin. The spying activities span half a century.

,   and  Jens Weinreich
8 min read
KGB officer and former FSB boss Vladimir Putin and Vitaly Smirnov, honorary member of the IOC, honorary president of the ROC, organizer of the 1980 Games in Moscow – head of the so-called investigation committee on doping in Russia, and, of course, a former KGB spy. (Photo: President of Russia)

Once again, a dubious institution, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), has ruled in favour of the Russian doping system. Why is that? Why are the rules repeatedly bent in favour of the Russians? Why is Russian influence still so great after all the doping and corruption scandals?

The most important answer is, of course: Vladimir Putin and the oligarchs and Russian corporations in his thrall. You will find dozens, maybe even hundreds of articles on this in this theatre here. Two multi-billionaires, Alisher Usmanov and Vladimir Lissin, run the world Olympic federations in fencing (FIE) and shooting (ISSF). The millionaire Umar Kremlev is president of the World Boxing Federation (now IBA) and a member of the Putin-affiliated, nationalist motorbike rocker club Night Wolves. Russian corporations like Gazprom are also active and influential as the main sponsors of some international sports federations.

(You may know that it is risky just to mention the man of honour Alisher Usmanov. His lawyers are quite aggressive about it. Anyway, many other non-Russian current/former IOC members and IF presidents, always very close to Putin: René Fasel, Jean-Claude Killy, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, Julio Maglione, Gianni Infantino, Lamine Diack and many more, most of them very dubious figures.)

Not to forget Roman Abramovich, who played a co-decisive role in the successful bid for the 2018 World Cup on Putin’s instructions. Of course, as in other nations (Qatar in particular, but also England, the USA and the Netherlands), this bid involved numerous intelligence agencies and some of the best-known spy firms on the planet (Kroll, for example).

So, another answer to the questions about Russia’s special Olympic role is: Compromat.

Compromised, possibly incriminating material. The classic, not only in Russia.

Putin and the IOC – a short intelligence review:

This post is for paying subscribers only

Subscribe

Already have an account? Sign In

Related

Fencing and the FIE: the Russian way of solving problems
documentation

Fencing and the FIE: the Russian way of solving problems

447 fencers and the European Confederation's board speak out against the decision of the International Fencing Federation to allow Russian fencers and teams to compete as ‘neutral athletes.’ At the same time, Usmanov's vassals around Vitaly Logvin consolidate their power with a dubious congress.

,   and  Jens Weinreich
Members Public
IOC Presidential Index (III): Samaranch, the next chapter
uipm

IOC Presidential Index (III): Samaranch, the next chapter

There are not even ten full days to go to the election of the 10th president in the history of the International Olympic Committee. Nobody should completely rule out the option of the first female president, even if there is increasing resistance to the plans to install Kirsty Coventry.

,   and  Jens Weinreich
Members Public

Latest

Transylvania and the World Triathlon Congress: Saint Antonio and his co-conspirators take action against whistleblowers and heretics
investigative journalism

Transylvania and the World Triathlon Congress: Saint Antonio and his co-conspirators take action against whistleblowers and heretics

The gathering in Wollongong resembled the worst congresses we have seen in recent decades in terms of serious corruption cases (FIFA, FIVB, IWF et al). Investigation attempts were rigorously suppressed. Only SIX national federations worldwide are on the side of those seeking clarification.

,   and  Jens Weinreich
Members Public
World Triathlon corruption: a Greek fake federation, the fake medium "Sportsin", con artists, the co-conspirators Arimany, Yerolimpos, Druwé – and more of their lies and propaganda
corruption culture

World Triathlon corruption: a Greek fake federation, the fake medium "Sportsin", con artists, the co-conspirators Arimany, Yerolimpos, Druwé – and more of their lies and propaganda

The World Triathlon Congress will meet next week, one year after the fake elections in which ICAS vice-president Antonio Arimany predetermined the election results, and has since served as fake president – supported by IOC honorary member Marisol Casado. Arimany & Co continue to distort the truth.

,   and  Jens Weinreich
Members Public