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| - The head of Russia's anti-doping agency (RUSADA) on Friday said there was a campaign to discredit his efforts in the country, after anonymous accounts accused him of financial machinations. One of Russia's numerous anonymous Telegram accounts purporting to offer insider information on Thursday alluded to a looming criminal case against Ganus for alleged "corruption" and abuse of public office. The "Post-Truth" channel said Ganus may have appropriated at least 110 million rubles ($1.55 million) over two years in his capacity as head of RUSADA. Ganus, who has for many months sharply criticised Russia's sports leadership over the ongoing doping ban, held an emergency press conference Friday to denounce the allegations, which he said were "revenge" and "the start of a campaign to discredit RUSADA". "Those who ordered this article don't like the independence of our agency, the actions of RUSADA," Ganus said, without detailing who he thought was behind the reports. "They don't like that we collaborate with international organisations." Ganus, 56, became the head of RUSADA in 2017, at the time when the agency was suspended by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) over institutionalised doping. WADA later lifted the suspension in 2018 but then reimposed it late last year, after discovering data "manipulation" concerning the controversial Moscow anti-doping laboratory. Ganus has accused the authorities of data manipulation, which he said was done to cover up athletes engaged in cheating. RUSADA has appealed the four-year doping ban in the Court of Arbitration for Sport, and the case is expected to be heard in November behind closed doors. Should WADA's ruling be confirmed, Russia will miss out on the postponed Tokyo Olympics, the 2022 winter Games in Beijing and that year's World Cup in Qatar. tbm/pop/ma/lp
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