Russian athletes received a "clear message" that they have a doping problem and the government must continue taking actions to solve the issue, an IOC official said.

Arne Ljungqvist, a vice president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), said on Tuesday that the problem of Russian athletes using performance-enhancing drugs is particularly acute since Russia will be hosting the 2014 Winter Olympics.

"I am pleased to understand that the Russians have got the clear message that they have a problem to deal with and they are taking actions. I am confident that they will continue to take action," Ljungqvist said a day after IOC President Jacques Rogge expressed his concern over doping among Russian athletes.

Rogge said on Monday he had raised the issue with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

Alexander Derevoyedov, the head of Russia's national anti-doping agency RusADA pledged earlier that there would be no doping-related scandals at the February 12-28 Winter Olympic Games.

Ljungqvist also said he hoped that the Russian government would provide RusADA with "substantial support" in dealing with the problem.

Russian athletes have been recently plagued by doping-related cases and subsequent disqualifications. Last month the Russian ski federation disqualified Alena Sidko, the 2006 Olympic bronze medalist, for two years and excluded her from the national Olympic team after she tested positive for doping at a Russian skiing competition early this year.

The International Ski Federation (FIS) also disqualified last month two other Russian woman skiers, Yulia Chepalova and Natalia Matveyeva, on accusations of doping.

The problem of performance-enhancing drugs was raised at the state level by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin last February, who urged tougher penalties for those athletes using drugs and proposed establishing a state doping control system.

VANCOUVER, February 10 (RIA Novosti)