Russian anti-doping CEO ‘betrayed’ by data tampering

MOSCOW (AP) — The CEO of the Russian anti-doping agency says he feels “betrayed” after evidence emerged that crucial doping data was tampered with.

Russian authorities handed over the data to the World Anti-Doping Agency in January after it had been kept under seal by Russian law enforcement. The data was widely believed to hold the key to past doping offenses in Russian sports, but WADA is now investigating apparent tampering and could impose new sanctions on Russia.

Russian agency CEO Yuri Ganus says “we have been betrayed” by the tampering, which he says damages the reputation of the Russian state but doesn’t identify any possible perpetrators.

Ganus adds that the apparent tampering aimed to “defend fallen athletes and their achievements” at the cost of “destroying the future of coming generations of athletes.”