The Russian Affair: From Russia with Drugs

LONGLISTED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR PRIZE 2020 'Reads like a thriller, or even a spy novel...Walsh keeps you gripped' Rosamund Urwin, Sunday Times 'A turbulent but ultimately inspiring tale . The candour...is rare and gripping' Matt Dickinson, The Times It was the story that shocked the world: Russian athletics was revealed to be corrupt from top to bottom, with institutionalised doping used to help the nation's athletes win medals they did not deserve. But the full story of the couple who blew the whistle has never been told - until now. When Russian anti-doping official Vitaly Stepanov met the young 800m athlete Yuliya Rusanova , for him it was love at first sight . Within two months, they were married. But there was a problem – in fact, there were lots of problems. She admitted she was doping and that everyone else was doping, and she let him know that she came from a dark place ... It could all have brought a very swift end to a very hasty marriage, but gradually the Stepanovs began to realise that whatever you did, the system in Russia was stacked against you. In the end, the only ones they could rely upon were each other. Fully aware of the risks they were taking, they decided to turn the tables on those who had manipulated them and cheated the sporting world . The result of their investigative work sent shockwaves around the planet and led to Russia's athletes being banned from world sport, while the Stepanovs themselves had to go into hiding. The Russian Affair is a gripping true-life drama that at times reads like a spy novel and at others like an epic love story. But, at the centre of it all, is a quietly determined couple who knew that if they stood together they could shine a light on a corrupt system and bring it crashing to the ground. It was the story that shocked the world: Russian athletics was revealed to be corrupt from top to bottom, with institutionalised doping used to help the nation's athletes win medals they did not truly deserve. There had always been suspicions, but now WADA had the clearest evidence of what had gone on. As a result, Russia was banned from international athletics until they could show that they were competing clean. With the Rio Olympics imminent, it was a shattering blow to the country's prestige. At the heart of it all, however, was a very personal story of a couple who had risked everything. Vitaliy Stepanov had been part of the Russian anti-doping squad, and during his work he had met and fallen in love with Yuliya, one of the country's most promising 800m athletes. But soon Vitaliy discovered that his bride was not all she seemed: she was taking performance-enhancing drugs. It could have been the end of their relationship, but instead they decided they would reveal the scale and the scope of the corruption in Russian athletics - the bribes, the drugs, the abuse. At enormous personal risk to their marriage and even their lives, they recorded and filmed athletes and officials involved in the scandal, and then escaped to Germany to pass on their devastating evidence. Now, with award-winning journalist David Walsh, the man who broke the Lance Armstrong story, they reveal the full truth of what went on in Russia, and the corrupt system that surrounded everything they did. But it is not only an unrivalled and comprehensive account of the biggest sporting scandal, it is a warm and human story of a couple fighting to tell the truth and to save their family at the same time It was the story that shocked the world: Russian athletics was revealed to be corrupt from top to bottom, with institutionalised doping used to help the nation's athletes win medals they did not truly deserve. But the full story of the couple who blew the whistle has never been told - until now. When Russian anti-doping official Vitaly Stepanov met the young 800m athlete Yuliya Rusanova, for him it was love at first sight. Within two months, they were married. But there was a problem ' in fact, there were lots of problems. She admitted she was doping and that everyone else was doping, and she let him know that she came from a dark place It could all have brought a very swift end to a very hasty marriage, but gradually the Stepanovs began to realise that whatever you did, the system in Russia was stacked against you. In the end, the only ones they could rely upon were each other. Fully aware of the risks they were taking, they decided to turn the tables on those who had manipulated them and cheated the sporting world. The result of their investigative work sent shockwaves around the planet and led to Russia's athletes being banned from world sport, while the Stepanovs themselves had to go into hiding. The Russian Affair is a gripping true-life drama that at times feels like a spy novel and at others like an epic love story. But, at the centre of it all, is a quietly determined couple who knew that if they stood together they could shine a light on a corrupt system and bring it crashing to the ground It was the story that shocked the world: Russian athletics was revealed to be corrupt from top to bottom, with institutionalised doping used to help the nation's athletes win medals they did not truly deserve. But the full story of the couple who blew the whistle has never been told - until now. When Russian anti-doping official Vitaly Stepanov met the young 800m athlete Yuliya Rusanova, for him it was love at first sight. Within two months, they were married. But there was a problem ' in fact, there were lots of problems. She admitted she was doping and that everyone else was doping, and she let him know that she came from a dark place It could all have brought a very swift end to a very hasty marriage, but gradually the Stepanovs began to realise that whatever you did, the system in Russia was stacked against you. In the end, the only ones they could rely upon were each other. Fully aware of the risks they were taking, they decided to turn the tables on those who had manipulated them and cheated the sporting world. The result of their investigative work sent shockwaves around the planet and led to Russia's athletes being banned from world sport, while the Stepanovs themselves had to go into hiding. The Russian Affair is a gripping true-life drama that at times reads like a spy novel and at others like an epic love story. But, at the centre of it all, is a quietly determined couple who knew that if they stood together they could shine a light on a corrupt system and bring it crashing to the ground It Was The Story That Shocked The World: Russian Athletics Was Revealed To Be Corrupt From Top To Bottom, With Institutionalised Doping Used To Help The Nation's Athletes Win Medals They Did Not Truly Deserve. But The Full Story Of The Couple Who Blew The Whistle Has Never Been Told - Until Now. Vitaly Stepanov Worked For The Russian Anti-doping Squad, Committed To His Job; Yuliya Rusanova Was One Of The Country's Most Promising 800m Athletes. When They Met, He Fell In Love With Her; She Revealed She Was Taking Performance-enhancing Drugs. It Could Have Been The End Of Their Relationship, But Instead They Decided They Would Reveal The Scale And The Scope Of The Corruption In Russian Athletics - The Bribes, The Drugs, The Abuse. At Enormous Personal Risk To Their Marriage And Even Their Lives, They Recorded And Filmed Athletes And Officials Involved In The Scandal, And Then Escaped To Germany To Pass On Their Devastating Evidence. Now, With Award-winning Journalist David Walsh, The Man Who Broke The Lance Armstrong Story, They Reveal The Full Truth Of What Went On In Russia, And The Corrupt System That Surrounded Everything They Did. But The Russian Affair Is So Much More Than An Unrivalled Account Of The Biggest Sporting Scandal, It Is A Warm And Human Story Of A Couple Fighting To Tell The Truth And To Save Their Family At The Same Time, While Facing Seemingly Insurmountable Odds. The extraordinary inside story of the family at the centre of the Russian athletics doping scandal