Putin orders full inquiry to address allegations

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday his country must "do everything" to eradicate doping, and ordered a full inquiry into allegations of major drug abuse in athletics that have left the nation facing international isolation.

Moscow is scrambling to respond to the bombshell World Anti-Doping Agency report, which outlined systematic doping in Russian athletics, declaring that a foreign specialist should take over its discredited testing laboratory.

The athletics world governing body has given Russia until Friday to come up with answers to the allegations, and with the deadline looming Putin met sports chiefs in Sochi, site of the 2014 Winter Olympics.