Valentin Balakhnichev
The Paris court sent to prison the former head of the All-Russian Athletics Federation (ARAF) Valentin Balakhnichev for hiding positive doping tests of Russian athletes. TASS reports.
Balakhnichev was sentenced in absentia to three years in prison. He is on the international wanted list. The former head of ARAF told RIA Novosti that he did not agree with the decision of the Paris court. The Russian intends to appeal the decision to higher authorities.
Balakhnichev served as head of the ARAF from 1990 to 2015. In addition, from 2000 to 2003, he was Deputy Chairman of the Goskomsport Pavel Rozhkov and the head of Rossport Vyacheslav Fetisov. In February 2015, he left the post of head of the ARAF amid a doping scandal that broke out. The International Association of Athletics Federations disqualified him for life.
