Athletics scandal dents Putin's sporting soft power push

Judo-loving President Vladimir Putin has used glitzy sporting events to showcase the successes of his rule, but the scandal now engulfing Russian athletics risks tarnishing that image. Moscow splashed out an estimated $51 billion (47 billion euros) on hosting the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi and is currently busy preparing for the 2018 World Cup in the country. "Putin worked hard on getting the Sochi Games, and sport is extremely important to him because it represents his own personal pres