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The Russian Affair: The True Story of the Couple Who Uncovered the Greatest Sporting Scandal
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 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.
'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 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.
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Published July 23, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
March 4, 2025
This took me a minute to get into (hence the 4 stars), but I ended up finding it really fascinating.
I first learned about the Stepanova’s story when I saw their son run at a competitive running race (he’s incredible btw).
Their story is incredible: together this unlikely Russian couple (an anti-doping officer and an elite athlete who dopes) whistle blow the large-scale system that enables and pretty much mandates all of these professional Russian athletes to cheat.
I found this book especially interesting after having read the book “Forty Autumns,” which is about Russian occupied East Germany after WWII. I think that book helped me better understand the context of this story.
I loved the way this book made these characters come to life. They are real people who have their flaws but I really understood why they did what they did. I loved the love story element.
I’m not sure everyone would love this book, but if you have any interest in Russian politics, sports, or quirky, interesting people, this is a good one.
I first learned about the Stepanova’s story when I saw their son run at a competitive running race (he’s incredible btw).
Their story is incredible: together this unlikely Russian couple (an anti-doping officer and an elite athlete who dopes) whistle blow the large-scale system that enables and pretty much mandates all of these professional Russian athletes to cheat.
I found this book especially interesting after having read the book “Forty Autumns,” which is about Russian occupied East Germany after WWII. I think that book helped me better understand the context of this story.
I loved the way this book made these characters come to life. They are real people who have their flaws but I really understood why they did what they did. I loved the love story element.
I’m not sure everyone would love this book, but if you have any interest in Russian politics, sports, or quirky, interesting people, this is a good one.
January 10, 2021
3.5 stars.
Fascinating insight into athletics, doping, the cost to athletes and families and whistleblowers. Plus a real Russian love story at its heart. A very unusual read.
Fascinating insight into athletics, doping, the cost to athletes and families and whistleblowers. Plus a real Russian love story at its heart. A very unusual read.
August 12, 2020
Bought this book as soon as it was released as David Walsh is a fantastic journalist. This is an excellent book telling the story of Vitaly Stepanov and Yuliya Rusanova. It reads like a thriller at times. Walsh had good access to the two main protagonists. Yuliya is the hero of the book but both herself and her husband took incredibly brave steps to act as whistle blowers on Russian dopers. I'd recommend this book for anyone with even a passing interest in athletics or the Russian regime.
October 28, 2020
This was a fantastic insight into the collapse of Russia’s sporting reputation amid serious, deep seated doping scandals that continued for many years. Sitting alongside that is a true love story between an anti-doping agent and a doper.
June 13, 2021
Hard to find fault in it, incredible story well told
January 3, 2025
Whilst David Walsh is the on the cover this reads very much like the autobiography of Vitaly Stepanov whose perspective is dominant throughout. His passion for running and taking on the widespread and systematic use of doping in Russia comes though strongly and the amount of detail is eye opening and at times gripping.
To do this Vitaly gathers intimate information from his wife, Yuliya Rusanova, about the doping programme in Russia to send to colleagues in the USA. He then pressures his wife into recording her former coach and fellow athletes after stealing her prize money (which he said he gave back). The much commented upon ‘love story’ is one based upon exploitation by a seemingly disillusioned and bitter husband - this is uncomfortable to read at times.
Yuliya is the hero of the book but her perspective is oddly less present. The perspective of Vitaly continues to be dominant as we read more about his experience of running rather than Yuliya. Why? Who cares about his running times and training? It would have been far more interesting to read about how it was for Yuliya to be trapped in a doping system and then cornered by a husband determined to make a name for himself. David Walsh does not engage with this at all. Odd.
None of this detracts from the powerful insight into the world of doping in athletics but as a focus upon the 'love story' it was quite a struggle to get through.
To do this Vitaly gathers intimate information from his wife, Yuliya Rusanova, about the doping programme in Russia to send to colleagues in the USA. He then pressures his wife into recording her former coach and fellow athletes after stealing her prize money (which he said he gave back). The much commented upon ‘love story’ is one based upon exploitation by a seemingly disillusioned and bitter husband - this is uncomfortable to read at times.
Yuliya is the hero of the book but her perspective is oddly less present. The perspective of Vitaly continues to be dominant as we read more about his experience of running rather than Yuliya. Why? Who cares about his running times and training? It would have been far more interesting to read about how it was for Yuliya to be trapped in a doping system and then cornered by a husband determined to make a name for himself. David Walsh does not engage with this at all. Odd.
None of this detracts from the powerful insight into the world of doping in athletics but as a focus upon the 'love story' it was quite a struggle to get through.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 8, 2021
I've really enjoyed reading a couple of David Walsh's books about doping in cycling, so I had high expectations reading his book about the state sponsored doping in Russian athleticism. Unfortunately, the book did not fulfil my expectations. I found it too long, and that there were too many details that did very little to help the story along.
July 29, 2022
As memory serves, when the news broke of Russia's state-sanctioned doping regime the general reaction was one of 'well, yup'.
Rumours had been flying around for years, and the East Germans – as they were known in the 80s – were renowned for it. Rightly or wrongly.
I remember assuming the discovery and breaking of the story was the result of years of painstaking undercover research by the people tasked with uncovering such things – the World Anti-Doping Agency.
The truth is both far duller and far more interesting.
At the heart of it is one Vitaly Stepanov, who had the fortune/misfortune (depending on the stage of their relationship at the time) to fall in love with budding 800m athlete Yuliya Rusanova.
It's a kind of Romeo and Juliet tale, only in this case Romeo is a young idealist who believes in justice, fairness and is passionately against doping, and Juliet is an up-and-coming athlete who wants all the drugs because the game is rigged and she wants to win.
Vitaly gets a job at Russia's own anti-doping agency, and soon sees how the system is really working – tests rigged, payoffs, samples switched. Plus he's getting all the information from the other side of the line from his beloved.
The Russian Affair tells that story, very much a love story, of a man who passionately believes in doing the right thing while also loving someone who doesn't.
What we find is that not only how easily the Russians ran their programme, but also just how ineffectual WADA were in dealing with the problem.
They were receiving regular missives from a man on the inside, and yet they did nothing.
How the story actually came out, and how the Stepanov's united to tell their story, is brilliantly uplifting and life-affirming. A few people doing what they could to right a wrong.
In David Walsh was have an excellent narrator. A potentially dry tale becomes warm, enticing. You come to root for Vitaly very early on, you feel like he's a friend. Walsh presents one of the biggest sporting scandals in history as very much a human tale, full of drama and tension – building the drama slowly and gently until you're hooked and can't put the damn book down.
Rumours had been flying around for years, and the East Germans – as they were known in the 80s – were renowned for it. Rightly or wrongly.
I remember assuming the discovery and breaking of the story was the result of years of painstaking undercover research by the people tasked with uncovering such things – the World Anti-Doping Agency.
The truth is both far duller and far more interesting.
At the heart of it is one Vitaly Stepanov, who had the fortune/misfortune (depending on the stage of their relationship at the time) to fall in love with budding 800m athlete Yuliya Rusanova.
It's a kind of Romeo and Juliet tale, only in this case Romeo is a young idealist who believes in justice, fairness and is passionately against doping, and Juliet is an up-and-coming athlete who wants all the drugs because the game is rigged and she wants to win.
Vitaly gets a job at Russia's own anti-doping agency, and soon sees how the system is really working – tests rigged, payoffs, samples switched. Plus he's getting all the information from the other side of the line from his beloved.
The Russian Affair tells that story, very much a love story, of a man who passionately believes in doing the right thing while also loving someone who doesn't.
What we find is that not only how easily the Russians ran their programme, but also just how ineffectual WADA were in dealing with the problem.
They were receiving regular missives from a man on the inside, and yet they did nothing.
How the story actually came out, and how the Stepanov's united to tell their story, is brilliantly uplifting and life-affirming. A few people doing what they could to right a wrong.
In David Walsh was have an excellent narrator. A potentially dry tale becomes warm, enticing. You come to root for Vitaly very early on, you feel like he's a friend. Walsh presents one of the biggest sporting scandals in history as very much a human tale, full of drama and tension – building the drama slowly and gently until you're hooked and can't put the damn book down.
January 30, 2021
This book tells the story of the strange relationship between a Russian anti-doping officer and an 800m runner who dopes and how they become the main whistleblowers that led to the uncovering of systematic doping in Russian sport and subsequently Russia's current ban from sport. It took a while to get through this book as it started off slow by going into detail of Yuliya and Vitaly's childhoods and was fairly repetitive - Vitaly finds out information about doping in Russia, tells WADA, they don't do anything. The first half still contained some interesting information but could have been condensed by quite a bit. Fortunately, the second half of the book got much better as the focus shifted more towards Yuliya's athletics career and then how they secretly recorded other athletes and coaches talking about doping. The book was a real eye-opener as to how corrupt Russian sport was/is, although at times it was hard not to laugh at some of the ways in which they got around doping - e.g. sending actors to drug tests rather than the athletes. It also made me think a bit more sympathetically about some of the athletes who doped - for some of them a career in sport was the only way out of bad parts of Russia and they were essentially manipulated at a young age by coaches, it was either dope or don't compete.
First half of the book 2/5, second half 4/5 so overall 3/5.
First half of the book 2/5, second half 4/5 so overall 3/5.
October 4, 2020
The Russian Affair, according to author David Walsh, is a love story. It is; however, The Russian Affair love story is set to the backdrop of the world’s greatest ever scandal in sport; uninhibited doping and corruption that rots Russian sport to the core.
The scandal is bigger than BALCO, the Nike Oregon Project, bigger than Ma’s Army of China, or Lance Armstrong and yes, even bigger than the East German state-sponsored doping machine.
Yulia Rusanova was a burgeoning 800-metre runner. Vitaly Stepanov worked for the Russian Anti-Doping Agency. During their first date, she calls him an idiot and tells him that she is part of the state-run doping system.
Interestingly, she is direct, and frank and warns him that she has a dark past. He is stoic and calm and comes from a middle-class home if such a thing exists in Russia. Sometimes opposites attract. It took a while for the relationship to work, and along the way, the reader is taken to places that are shocking as well as heart-wrenching.
Surprisingly, shortly after that first date, they marry. She continued to refer to him as an idiot, and they nearly divorce a half-dozen times. They even signed the papers once but did not show up for the second appointment to make the divorce official.
Read on: https://athleticsillustrated.com/book...
The scandal is bigger than BALCO, the Nike Oregon Project, bigger than Ma’s Army of China, or Lance Armstrong and yes, even bigger than the East German state-sponsored doping machine.
Yulia Rusanova was a burgeoning 800-metre runner. Vitaly Stepanov worked for the Russian Anti-Doping Agency. During their first date, she calls him an idiot and tells him that she is part of the state-run doping system.
Interestingly, she is direct, and frank and warns him that she has a dark past. He is stoic and calm and comes from a middle-class home if such a thing exists in Russia. Sometimes opposites attract. It took a while for the relationship to work, and along the way, the reader is taken to places that are shocking as well as heart-wrenching.
Surprisingly, shortly after that first date, they marry. She continued to refer to him as an idiot, and they nearly divorce a half-dozen times. They even signed the papers once but did not show up for the second appointment to make the divorce official.
Read on: https://athleticsillustrated.com/book...
June 19, 2023
A book on a topic, that I have a general interest in, that unfortunately doesn’t really deliver. Walsh’s bestseller on Lance Armstrong is a far better book, which leads me to presume that he may not have had the same mindset for this story. It’s a padded out duel biography that lacks substance and direction. It appears to be badly edited and the epilogue and appendix notes should have been included chronologically in the story.
It’s hard to take sides, which the author obviously wants you to do, as one half of the protagonists is a self confessed cheat.
Yes Russia did have a government funded doping regime and yes it’s correct that corruption should be exposed, but do we honestly think that every other nation competing on the world stage is clean.
The information in this book is worth knowing but it could have been told in a better way.
It’s hard to take sides, which the author obviously wants you to do, as one half of the protagonists is a self confessed cheat.
Yes Russia did have a government funded doping regime and yes it’s correct that corruption should be exposed, but do we honestly think that every other nation competing on the world stage is clean.
The information in this book is worth knowing but it could have been told in a better way.
January 7, 2021
Incredible story about the Russian couple, Vitaly and Yuliya Stepanov, who blew the lid on the systematic and endemic doping of Russian sport. I found the story engrossing enough and thought that the author, David Walsh, overdid some of the passages, turning their story almost into fiction.
In the beginning too much information about their relationship is given over to Vitaly's perception, I'm sure it adds dramatic tension but we only get Yuliya's version towards the end of the book.
I would have like a summary at the end about the consequences for all the characters involved.
There was too much detail in the Notes at the back of the book.
Well worth a read for anyone interested in sports or Russian affairs.
In the beginning too much information about their relationship is given over to Vitaly's perception, I'm sure it adds dramatic tension but we only get Yuliya's version towards the end of the book.
I would have like a summary at the end about the consequences for all the characters involved.
There was too much detail in the Notes at the back of the book.
Well worth a read for anyone interested in sports or Russian affairs.
August 22, 2024
I really did not enjoy this book. Almost from the start it was a really turgid effort to get through it and at no point did it catch my attention.
I think the main issue was that Vitaly and Yulia never became likeable and I never felt as though I was rooting for them. Vitaly in particular never made sense - his motives for being so anti doping, his love for Yulia which never made sense. By the end he seemed like an absolute tyrant forcing his wife to do his bidding.
I also felt as though Yulia was very bitter and if she had remained injury free and won competitions she would have never blew the whistle.
Walsh does not do a good job with what should have been an interesting story.
I think the main issue was that Vitaly and Yulia never became likeable and I never felt as though I was rooting for them. Vitaly in particular never made sense - his motives for being so anti doping, his love for Yulia which never made sense. By the end he seemed like an absolute tyrant forcing his wife to do his bidding.
I also felt as though Yulia was very bitter and if she had remained injury free and won competitions she would have never blew the whistle.
Walsh does not do a good job with what should have been an interesting story.
October 20, 2020
This is a fabulously interesting book about the Russian couple who provided evidence - painstakingly gathered over many years which revealed Russia's manipulation of drug tests and state sponsored pharma sport.
Their story is incredible for so many reasons - most of all for the couple's sheer bravery in coming forward and leaving Russia behind them. David Walsh is a great investigative journalist of our times and felt he treated this subject - much of it about the couple's own relationship very sensitively.
Their story is incredible for so many reasons - most of all for the couple's sheer bravery in coming forward and leaving Russia behind them. David Walsh is a great investigative journalist of our times and felt he treated this subject - much of it about the couple's own relationship very sensitively.
January 8, 2021
Summary: Story of the Russian whistleblowers (Vitaly Stepanov and Yuliya Rusanova) from the sports doping scandal. Background story of the 2017 Netflix documentary Icarus.
Likes: Shocking, well read on Audible, felt like a thriller, hard to believe the story is true
Dislikes: Drawn out love story of the 2 whistleblowers, would have preferred a primary focus on the doping scandal itself
Recommend For: Sports lovers, particular any interest in doping scandals. I would recommend the Netflix documentary Icarus higher than the background of the story which this book brings.
Likes: Shocking, well read on Audible, felt like a thriller, hard to believe the story is true
Dislikes: Drawn out love story of the 2 whistleblowers, would have preferred a primary focus on the doping scandal itself
Recommend For: Sports lovers, particular any interest in doping scandals. I would recommend the Netflix documentary Icarus higher than the background of the story which this book brings.
March 11, 2022
Even though this book isn't brand new I was intrigued with reading this book. It is a well done book about an unlikely husband/ wife team of whistleblowers on Russian doping. It's as much a whacky love story as it is a really good look into Russian doping as normal. Lots of international organizations doing a bunch of nothing about the issue but once again needing someone from the inside to expose it all.
December 11, 2023
Very interesting subject to me (I follow figure skating and there's been ongoing whispers of doping in some of the Russian team, complicating the banning of all Russian athletes in almost all sports federations due to the war in Ukraine), however the writing was pretty clunky. It also read as though it was originally written in another language and not as well translated into English as it could have been.
However, I still recommend it to anyone interested in the subject!
However, I still recommend it to anyone interested in the subject!
March 14, 2024
An interesting account of Russia statewide doping scandal. The level of corruption and cheating is eye opening. The book was a little bit sporadic and the two main protagonists undoubtedly made some brave decisions to tell their story but don’t come across as likeable as they should do given the lengths they went to. Perhaps to do with the love story angle the book also covers which didn’t paint them too well. 3.5 stars.
September 17, 2020
Not keen on David Walsh as a person (read The Race to the Truth by Emma O' Reilly to get some idea of him). However, you can't argue that he has had a significant impact on the campaign against doping in sport. This book reveals how endemic it was in Russia during London 2012 and Sochi - truly disturbing.
November 21, 2020
Fascinating revelations, and well told. But a bit long in the telling. Would have liked more solid details on how the couple are coping now in the US. A bit light on details on some of the associated fall out from the blowing open of the doping, in the epilogue. A few more stories are in there I’d imagine....
October 15, 2021
Just finished reading The Russian Affair (Aka From Russia With Drugs) by David Walsh. The Story of Yulia and Vitali Stepanov. She a promising 800m athelete who was doped to the gills he an idealistic anti-doping official in a system that was designed to hide doping not stamp it out. Together they blew the whistle on the State Sponsored routine doping of Russian Atheletes. Its an absolutely fascinating love story. Five stars
November 10, 2020
There’s an interesting story here but the telling of it is a bit dull, a first person account from Vitaly would have been appreciated. I liked the honesty of the strange relationship of Vitaly and Yuliya
February 16, 2021
An interesting story but much of it was spent on the couples background, upbringing & developing of their relationship. I know this is relevant but less of that and more focus on the doping would have been better.
February 17, 2021
Great story, I listened to it on audible and Michael Fenner narrated it, he was excellent and brought all the dark humour and characters to life in a way that I probably would have missed by just reading.
January 16, 2022
David Walsh writes a very well researched and enjoyable book that tells a very disappointing and bleak story. The story is very well told, to the point that you have genuine empathy for some of the central characters that did what they did and you wonder, would I have done differently?
December 30, 2022
A fascinating story. I felt that there was a little too much discussion around their upbringing and personal lives, although this did provide context. I would have liked a little more depth into how they captured such extensive evidence, but really interesting book overall.
February 6, 2023
Good story but took too long to tell it. Amazing though what the Russians were doing to their athletes and how they were all controlled by success in their sport and a fear of Mother Russia in coming out. Brave couple to tell their story.
July 29, 2023
An excellent, captivating non-fiction book which reads like a thriller. While at this point much of this is known I still really enjoyed David Walsh's retelling. I hope Yuliya and Vitaly wind up in the best possible scenario for themselves going forward!
July 17, 2024
Reminder of how widespread and deep Russian doping was. Also makes you raise an eyebrow at those who still beat the Russians. Easy read but maybe a little too focused on the love story which got tedious at times.
April 9, 2025
This book was written like a thriller which suits the story. Sometimes the books drfit but this reflects well how Vitaly was feeling at times and how Vitaly thought all the information he was sending wasn't being worked on. Didn't mind the romance angle either.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews