Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) director general Yuri Ganus has publicly contradicted claims by his country’s Sports Minister Pavel Kolobkov that data from the Moscow Laboratory was not manipulated.

It was revealed in September that World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) had been informed by independent forensic experts of inconsistencies in the data retrieved by its Intelligence and Investigations (I&I) Department from the Laboratory in the Russian capital in January.

Kolobkov, an Olympic fencing gold medallist, today claimed Russia had nothing wrong, but Ganus, though, attending the fifth World Conference on Doping in Sport, disputed the claims of Kolobkov.

If WADA’s Independent Compliance Review Committee (CRC) does rule that the data was manipulated, a ban could be reimposed on RUSADA.

That would put in serious doubt Russia’s participation at next year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo.

He has repeatedly blamed unnamed Russian officials for doctoring the data handed over to WADA.

Russia’s Sports Minister Pavel Kolobkov has claimed that data retrieved by WADA from the Moscow Laboratory in January was not manipulated and they will be able to clear up the questions

WADA experts are due to meet Russian officials on November 17 to discuss the reported inconsistencies in data retrieved from the Moscow Laboratory.

The CRC will then consider what recommendation they should make to the WADA Executive Committee, expected to hold an emergency meeting in London or Paris on December 9, including recommending reimposing a suspension on RUSADA.

Earlier at the Conference, Ganus told delegates that RUSADA “had nothing to do with the database and its transfer” and that it had been a victim of “forces outside RUSADA”.

He urged WADA to apply “wisdom” when imposing any sanctions in order to protect the independence of anti-doping agencies.