Former Russian anti-doping agency (RUSADA) Dir Nikita Kamayev died at the age of 52 on Monday "two months after he resigned from his post," according to Tom Parfitt of the LONDON TIMES. Kamayev left his job at RUSADA after the World Anti-Doping Agency found that it had "covered up cases of doping by leading Russian athletes." His predesssor, Vyacheslav Sinev, who headed RUSADA until '10, also died this month. No cause of death "was made public." Former RUSADA General Dir Ramil Khabriyev said he believed that Kamayev had a "massive heart attack." Khabriyev: "I'd never heard him complain of anything to do with his heart." Although there was "no immediate evidence of foul play, there is likely to be speculation" about Kamayev's death at a "relatively young age." Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said that it was "a very unexpected death, he was apparently healthy and everything was fine with him. We feel very sorrowful." Alexander Karabanov, a lawyer who has represented Russian athletes accused of doping, said that Kamayev’s “energy-sapping” work "could have affected his health but that foul play should also be considered" (LONDON TIMES, 2/16).
RUSSIA DEFENDS BIATHLON: REUTERS' Jack Stubbs reported Russia's biathlon chief, speaking after the Int'l Biathlon Union said it would investigate possible cheating at the 2014 Winter Olympics, said on Tuesday that the winter sport "was free of doping in his country." IBU VP James Carrabre said on Monday that he was "concerned about doping in general at the 2014 Games in Sochi." Carrabre said, "The conclusion from the WADA report is that all winter federations who were at the Sochi Olympics should be concerned. I am concerned, that is why I will launch an investigation." Russian Biathlon Union President Alexander Kravtsov said that he "had not been informed about an investigation by WADA or the IBU" (REUTERS, 2/16).
