Putin suggests FBI manipulated evidence on doping at 2014 Olympics

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Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested on Thursday that the FBI have manipulated evidence from the main whistle blower in the 2014 Olympics doping case.

Speaking at the annual press conference in Moscow, Vladimir Putin said Grigory Rodchenkov, who is under witness protection after fleeing to the United States last year, is "under the control" of the FBI and "American special services."

He suggested US agencies may be giving Rodchenkov unspecified "substances so that he says what's required."

Russia was banned from the 2018 Olympics earlier this month over state-sponsored doping. /VCG Photo

Putin added that the fact Rodchenkov was appointed to run Moscow's anti-doping laboratory in the first place "was a mistake on the part of those who did it, and I know who did it," but didn't name names or say they should be punished.

Rodchenko's testimony played a key role in International Olympic Committee investigations which led last week to Russian athletes being required to compete under a neutral flag at the upcoming Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.

Speaking at the news conference, Putin said on Thursday that he believes that the "scandal is being created ahead of the domestic political calendar."

Putin is up for re-election in March and he has suggested before that his adversaries might use the ban to dampen his popularity.