RUSADA chief resigns, WADA delegation arrives

Russian Anti-Doping Agency director general Ramil Khabriev has resigned from his position as a delegation from the World Anti-Doping Agency arrives to help implement anti-doping measures during the organisation's suspension.

RUSADA had its accreditation suspended by WADA in November after an independent commission established by the global body raised allegations of state-sponsored doping.

On Thursday, the Russian Sports Ministry confirmed in a statement that Khabriev's resignation had been accepted, while a supervisory board "designed to monitor the activities of RUSADA and serve as a guarantee of its independence" will be established.

The decision was taken as WADA confirmed a delegation has been sent to Moscow to help implement anti-doping measures during the laboratory's suspension.

"WADA has established a team of experts that has travelled to Moscow this week for initial meetings to explore the ways and means of how an anti-doping programme can be run during a period of non-compliance with the World Anti-Doping Code," a statement said.

"In particular the testing programme for athletes in Russia needs to be formulated and put into practice."

In November, the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) vowed to tackle the issues mentioned in the WADA report in order to aid the chances for its athletes to compete in the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

ROC head Alexander Zhukov says the arrival will help clarify their new measures.

"The WADA anti-doping commission begins its work in Moscow today [Thursday] to determine which international organisations will fulfil the anti-doping control functions during the suspension of the work of the RUSADA and our laboratory," he is quoted as saying by TASS agency.