A damning report compiled by a Western University law professor that confirms there was state-sponsored doping is adding to the push for Russia to be banned from the Rio Olympics.
Richard McLaren released the findings of his 57-day independent investigation on Monday in Toronto.
The 97-page report outlines evidence of the organized use of performance enhancing drugs by athletes from Russia's 36 sport disciplines between 2011 and 2015.
According to the report's three main findings, a lab in Moscow operated for the protection of doped Russian athletes within a state-dictated failsafe system; a Sochi lab operated a unique sample swapping methodology to enable doped Russian athletes to compete at the 2014 Winter Games; and it was all overseen and manipulated by the Ministry of Sport.
Using what McLaren dubbed the "Disappearing Positive Methodology" the Moscow lab covered up urine samples of Russian athletes from virtually all sports before and after the Sochi Games. The report says the method came into practice following a "very abysmal" medal count by the Russian Olympic athletes participating in the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver.
McLaren and his investigative team found, between 2012 and 2015, the Disappearing Positive Methodology was used on 643 positive urine samples. A DNA analysis also confirmed three samples where the DNA did not match that of the athlete.
The report goes on to say the investigation found evidence identifying dozens of Russian athletes who appear to have been involved in doping.
The World Anti-Doping Agency commissioned McLaren in May to investigate allegations made by the former Director of the Moscow Laboratory, Dr. Grigory Rodchenkov. His allegations were published by the New York Times and 60 Minutes.
Two Western University law students were included on McLaren's investigative team. The Drug Control Centre and the DNA analysis unit at Kings College, under the leadership of Dr. David Cowan, provided the analytical work.