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Probe launched against Grigory Rodchenkov

The Head Office of the Investigative Committee has opened a criminal investigation against former director of the Anti-Doping Center (Moscow Anti-Doping Laboratory) Grigory Rodchenkov over a crime under Part 1 of Article 201 of the RF Penal Code (abuse of power)

The case was opened following the results of a pre-investigative check into media reports containing an interview given by former director of Anti-Doping Center Grigory Rodchenkov where he claims that there had been many violations of anti-doping regulations committed by Russian athletes including with his participation. The case is also based on the files provided by the RF Prosecutor General’s Office and made following the check into the information put forth in a report made by the independent commission of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) dated 9 November 2015, connected to the disposal of doping-samples carried out on 12 December 2014 following the orders from Rodchenkov and violating the international standards of WADA laboratories.

It was preliminarily revealed that in connection with the investigation the WADA sent on 9 December 2014 a letter to Rodchenkov requesting that all the samples stored at the time at the Anti-Doping Center during the last three months starting from 10 September 2014 and taken later were defrosted and were stored in accordance with the storage standards until further instructions from the WADA. The letter stressed that soon the WADA would send instructions as per what next should be done with the samples and contained a request to confirm in writing that the letter had been received.

Having read the letter, Rodchenkov replied to the WADA by email on 10 December 2014. He confirmed the receipt and assured that the samples were stored reliably.

Despite it, on 12 December 2014, Rodchenkov seeking to conceal flaws and breaches in his activity and by that to keep his position and to avoid early termination of the office, violated the requirements of the Anti-Doping Center’s Charter, the labor contract, the governmental contract, the International WADA Laboratories Standards and the letter sent by the WADA and ordered the head of the registration office Kudryavtsev to dispose of 1,437 biological samples stored at the facility at the moment, 222 of which had been stored there for less than three months since the results of the tests had been issued.

Following the order Kudryavtsev and his subordinates utilized the said biomaterial on the same day.

This way, the investigators believe that Rodchenkov used his authority despite legal interests of the said organization and to the ends of making profit and benefits for himself, which caused considerable harm to rights and legal interests. This also entailed the violation of the WADA letter on storage of biological samples and the International WADA laboratories requirements which made the bases for the WADA to start disciplinary proceedings against the laboratory and consequently calling its international certificate off. As a result the Anti-Doping Center lost the right to carry out its authorized activity. Rodchenkov’s actions also caused considerable harm to the state interests protected by law – violation of international interests of the Russian Federation, causing considerable harm to reputation, discrediting the state’s anti-doping policy, calling off the international certificate of the laboratory created by the funds from the federal budget.

Earlier the Investigative Committee opened a case against individuals who served as managers in 2009-2013 in the All-Russian Federation of Athletics over abuse of office. The investigative Committee is going to investigate the two cases thoroughly. The main mission of investigators is finding the truth and it is only natural that not everybody may like it. But I can guarantee that the investigation will be thorough, impartial and of course as transparent as possible. We will report the results to both Russian and international public by all means.

Head of Media Relations                                                                                                                                V.I. Markin