A deputy sports minister named by world anti-doping authorities as having played a key role in Russia's doping scandal has resigned, according to Russian state media.
Yury Nagornykh was “released from his duties” on Oct. 20, the TASS state-run news agency reported Monday, citing the Russian Sports Ministry's human resources department. Nagornykh had voluntarily given up the post, the report said.
Nagornykh was among several top Russian sports officials named in the latest report into state-sponsored doping by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), published in July.
In the report by Richard McLaren, Nagornykh and several other senior Russian officials were accused of covering up the positive doping probes of Russian athletes since 2011.
The report, released on the eve of the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, also named anti-doping advisor Natalya Zhelanova but stopped short of directly incriminating the then-Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko, other than saying it was “inconceivable” he would not have known about the dirty dealings.
Nagornykh, Zhelanova and several other senior officials were suspended following the report and little was known about their fates until Monday's news of Nagornykh's resignation.
His departure comes on the back of the announced resignation of the head of Russia's Olympic Committee Alexander Zhukov and the appointment of Mutko as deputy prime minister last week, a move which is widely seen as a promotion.
The staff reshuffle appears to be a purge of those Russian officials implicated in the scandal, while publicly maintaining their innocence.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
