In Russia, the new independent anti-doping commission held its first public meeting on Tuesday. Leaders of the organization made a pledge to push forward legislations to prosecute those caught taking banned substances, nearly six months since the original story of state-sponsored doping broke in Britain’s Sunday Times newspaper.

The International Olympic Committee has asked Russia to provide evidence of how anti-doping procedures worked over a five-year period as it probes the country’s doping issues.

The chairman of the Independent anti-doping commission, Vitaly Smirnov, said the organization has collected information from the country’s sports officials and government bodies with a plan to provide it to the IOC later this week.

Smirnov stressed some of the athletes involved in the doping scandal violated rules because of their own negligence and therefore one of the key jobs of his commission will be to educate. The former IOC member also said legislation is needed to punish those who are guilty.

“We will push forward the legislation work so that people who violate anti-doping regulations will be held accountable,” Smirnov said.

“We will make suggestions to Duma that our laws should be compatible with that of European nations like Italy, France and Germany. I believe the legislation will be passed.”