The Main Directorate for Drug Control of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia takes an active part in the fight against doping, interacting with RUSADA and the Ministry of Sports of the Russian Federation.
The introduction of special anti-doping articles into the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (Articles 230.1 and 230.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation) criminalized the actions of coaches and other athlete support personnel, including medical personnel, related to the inducement and use of prohibited substances and methods against athletes.
The first criminal doping case was initiated in 2019. The Main Directorate for Drug Control of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia received information from RUSADA regarding a Cycling Coach. During its investigation, it was established that the Coach was involved in using a prohibited substance against the athlete. The Coach was given a criminal measure in the form of a court fine in the amount of 50 thousand rubles and disqualification for 4 years for anti-doping rules violation according art 2.8 of the All-Russian Anti-Doping Rules.
“The result of interaction between the Main Directorate of Internal Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation and RUSADA in 2023 was the sending of materials to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in relation to 101 athletes for inspections under Art. 6.18 Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation (in 2022 - in relation to 72 athletes). The vast majority of violators are beginners or regional level athletes. The main sports in which violations were committed are track and field and weightlifting, as well as powerlifting,” said the Deputy Head of the Department for Organizing Activities to Limit the Circulation of New Psychoactive Substances and Anti-doping of the Department for Control of Legal Drug Trafficking and the Prevention of Administrative Offenses of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia Kirill Kuznetsov at the Round table, which took place on March 14 at the Russian International Olympic University.
In addition, the Main Directorate of Internal Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia applies preventive measures against persons whose guilt in committing anti-doping rule violations has not been proven, as well as those whose actions or inactions could create conditions for their commission - police officers issue official warnings to these persons. In 2023, 111 such warnings were announced (in 2022 - 104 warnings).
The presence of such a warning means that in the event of a repeated violation, the person may be subject to administrative liability.
Summing up the results of the Round Table, Denis Karpas, Deputy Head of the Department for Control of Legal Drug Trafficking and Prevention of Administrative Offenses in the Field of Non-Non State Control of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, noted that the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia takes a principled position in the fight against doping and continues active cooperation with RUSADA and other interested parties.