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Top Management of Russia’s Anti-Doping Agency Resigns


FILE - Nikita Kamaev, managing director of Russian anti-doping agency (RUSADA), talks to reporters at the agency headquarters in Moscow, Nov. 10, 2015.
FILE - Nikita Kamaev, managing director of Russian anti-doping agency (RUSADA), talks to reporters at the agency headquarters in Moscow, Nov. 10, 2015.

The entire leadership of Russia’s anti-doping agency, RUSADA, has resigned following allegations of state-sponsored doping in Russian sports.

RUSADA’s top four leaders, including acting director Nikita Kamayev, resigned Thursday an hour after President Vladimir Putin said Russia would cooperate with international officials to eradicate the “poison” of doping.

A World Anti-Doping Agency report has cited Russian officials for covering up doping by Russian athletes. RUSADA's general director, Ramil Khabriev, resigned earlier this month.

Russia's track and field federation was suspended by the International Association of Athletics Federations following the revelations.

The penalty would prevent all Russian track and field athletes from participating in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Putin says he objects to suspending athletes aho have not been accused of cheating and who have not tested positive for performance enhancing drugs.

The IAAF said earlier this month the Russian athletics federation could only be reinstated if it "cleaned house" by showing that none of its directors, officers or staff "has any past involvement in doping," among other strict reinstatement terms.

Russian news reports says Anna Antseliovich has been appointed interim general director.

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