The International Olympic Committee announced on Thursday that it had penalized four Russian athletes for doping violations at the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, prompting criticism from President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia.

Four cross-country skiers were disqualified and barred from competing in future Olympics: Yuliia Ivanova; Alexey Petukhov; Evgeniya Shapovalova; and Maksim Vylegzhanin. At the Sochi Games, Vylegzhanin won three silver medals, which Olympic officials ordered Russia to return.

Though the officials who announced the disciplinary decisions were Swiss and Spanish, Putin called the decisions an American attempt to undermine Russia and affect his nation’s presidential election in March. He cited a web of “connections and dependencies” within international sports.

“The controlling stake is located in the United States, because the main companies that order and pay for television rights, the main sponsors, the main advertisement buyers and so forth are located there,” he said.