This article was originally published by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and is reprinted with permission.
The Russian couple that exposed the country’s doping scandal is hiding out in a quiet American suburb, The New York Times reports.
Vitaly and Yulia Stepanov fled Russia for Germany in 2014 with their infant son days before the screening of a documentary in which they detailed Russia’s state-sponsored doping program.
They have moved at least six times since then, ending up in an undisclosed U.S. suburb, the paper reported.
“We are just like any middle-class American family,” Vitaly Stepanov told the newspaper in an interview.
Yulia Stepanova, a former top runner on Russia’s national team, made secret recordings of coaches and athletes. Her work resulted in Russia’s track-and-field team being banned from the 2016 Olympics.
Russian President Vladimir Putin called her “Judas,” a name used to describe a traitor.
Yulia Stepanova is now training for the 2020 Olympics, though her husband said they didn’t hold out much hope she will make it. Her time for the 800 meters was still four seconds slower than the standard for qualifying, he said.
