Russia: Head of anti-doping agency dismissed

Iouri Ganous, the director general of Russia’s anti-doping agency (Rusada), who took office three years ago in August 2017, has been dismissed. An audit by the Russian Olympic Committee revealed irregularities in its internal management.

The WORLD Anti-Doping Agency (AMA) has expressed concern and reiterated that all its national bodies should remain independent of the Olympic Committee after the head of Russia’s anti-doping agency was sacked yesterday Friday, OUR RFI correspondent Etienet.B reports from Moscow on Saturday. The sacked head of Russia’s anti-doping agency has a good international reputation as a sign of Russia’s willingness to make peace with world sport.

The Russian Olympic committee chairman, said the dismissal decision is based on administrative ˎ financial and economic violations. The audit concluded that taxis for work travel between 2018 and 2019 were too expensive. His sacking was not an accident, and there have been many signs in recent weeks. The sacked director-general himself said the audit was only a means to get him out.

Too much change

When Iouri Ganous was appointed head of Russia’s anti-doping agency three years ago, his speech did not pander to Russian sport. He fired 90 per cent of the staff of Russia’s anti-doping agency, clearing the way for conspiracy theories that Russia had accepted fraud.

According to Russian opinion, Augias was considered an “enemy of the state” because of his determination to completely eliminate his cattle pens (Greek mythology). People obviously wanted him to change his appearance, and he used tanks instead.

The head of Russia’s Olympic Committee says the new head of the anti-doping agency will be appointed within the next six months.