Russian sports minister denies doping data was falsified
The HinduRussia’s sports minister insisted on Thursday that data handed to the World Anti-Doping Agency was not doctored, while WADA has asked Moscow to explain “inconsistencies.” “Nothing was removed there, our experts insist this didn’t happen,” sports minister Pavel Kolobkov said, Interfax news agency reported. The current head of Russia’s anti-doping laboratory, Yuri Ganus, has denied that his team had any involvement in falsifying data but has said that he believes there was manipulation. Kolobkov denied those claims, saying: “There was not any manipulation as the head of Russia’s anti-doping laboratory, Yuri Ganus, has said. That’s our position.” He said Russia had already selected more than 100 athletes to take part in the Tokyo Olympics next year and he expected a final total of around 400 to take part.