MOSCOW AFP: The outspoken head of Russia’s anti-doping agency on Wednesday slammed a recommendation for his dismissal over accusations of financial wrongdoing.
Yury Ganus, the director-general of the RUSADA anti-doping agency, has sharply criticised the actions of Russia’s sports leadership and described a ban on its athletes competing worldwide as justified by Moscow’s failure to acknowledge wrongdoing and implement real reforms. On Wednesday, the supervisory board of RUSADA recommended that the country’s Olympic and Paralympic Committees consider dismissing Ganus, Russian news agencies reported, citing board members.
This came after Russia’s Olympic Committee last month published an audit of RUSADA that exposed alleged violations.
“I don’t understand this decision,” Ganus told AFP, claiming his opponents want him out because of his principled stand.
“Yes it is (revenge), a struggle... They don’t like what we’re saying, even though we’re fighting for clean sport,” he said.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in December banned Russia for four years from major global sporting events including the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Russian authorities were accused of tampering with drug test data they handed to WADA.