What can we tell about the hero of the article named Grigory Rodchenkov biography? Master of Sports in Athletics, a scientist. Known primarily as a specialist in the identification of doping. Candidate of Chemical Sciences, from 2006 to 2015 he headed the Anti-Doping Center. At the same time, he is an athlete, in his youth he was actively involved in athletics.
His name appeared on everyone’s lips in January 2016, when he conveyed to the World Doping Agency information on government support for doping in Russia. The consequence was the disqualification of Russian athletes at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and a complete ban on the performance of the Russian team at the Paralympic Games.
That is why the hero of today's article is Grigory Rodchenkov. The biography, photos of this person and the scandals associated with him will be in the center of our attention. We will tell you more about it.
Scientist and Athlete
Grigory Rodchenkov, whose biography begins in 1958, was born in Moscow. His mother was associated with medicine, worked as a doctor in the Kremlin hospital.
From childhood, Gregory was a diligent student, he received almost one five at school, and even went in for sports. In the race for 5000 meters, the young Rodchenkov even became the champion of the capital.
At the insistence of his parents, he still chose science, not sport, although the desire for athletics remained for life. Immediately after school, she enters the chemistry department of Moscow State University. In 1982, graduated with a diploma in chemical kinetics and catalysis.
Chemical scientist
3 years after graduating from Moscow State University, Grigory Rodchenkov becomes an employee of the Moscow Anti-Doping Center. Biography, the early years of which were associated with sports, made itself felt.
The first major project for him was the 1986 Goodwill Games. After 2 years, as part of the Soviet delegation, he goes to his first Olympics in Seoul. At the same time, Rodchenkov does not abandon scientific activity and during perestroika manages to defend his dissertation with confidence.
Doping in modern Russia
With the development of pharmaceutical science, doping in sports is becoming increasingly popular. Therefore, the importance of anti-doping committees, national and international, is increasing. Grigory Rodchenkov, whose biography was originally associated with high-performance sports, is like a fish in water. It is in demand in foreign companies.
In 1994, when the country was in crisis and devastation, Rodchenkov worked at Interlab, a company that supplies analytical equipment to Russia, and in the late 90s collaborated with an anti-doping center in Calgary, Canada. But soon returned to Russia Grigory Rodchenkov. The biography, nationality of our hero (he is a Jew) at that time was of little interest to anyone, so he successfully works in companies in the petrochemical complex.
The last place of work in Russia is the acting director, and later the head of the anti-doping center federal state institution.
Scandal in 2015
For the first time, the biography of Grigory Rodchinkov appeared on everyone’s lips in 2015, when a loud doping scandal broke out. He was convicted by the International Independent Commission of the deliberate destruction of more than a thousand samples of Russian athletes. Allegedly this was done in order to hide the facts of their use of doping.
Grigory Rodchenkov, whose biography has not previously been tarnished, refutes all speculation. According to him, only samples whose shelf life has long expired were destroyed. This work was planned. However, WADA also makes more serious allegations. Rodchenkov is considered one of the organizers of the criminal scheme, when money was extorted from athletes in exchange for hiding the positive results of doping tests.
Also, according to foreign colleagues, the work of the Moscow laboratory was not independent, as it was under the control of the Ministry of Sports and RUSADA. All this contradicts international agreements. So, government bodies should not be able to intervene in the work of anti-doping committees. On this basis, WADA insisted that Grigory Mikhailovich Rodchenkov be fired, his biography after this scandal would have significantly deteriorated. The consequences were not long in coming.
Rodchenkov in disgrace
As a result of this scandal, Grigory Rodchenkov resigns, his biography changes dramatically after that. In January 2016, he leaves for the United States, according to his own statements, because of fears for his life and health.
The American friend, director of the documentary film - Brian Vogel, helped to organize a quick move to the States of Rodchenkova. At that time, he was already working on a film about doping, which, in particular, took place at the Winter Olympics in Sochi. Rodchenkov repeatedly gave him advice. And what else could a person like Grigory Rodchenkov have a biography? An analytical chemist, a practicing scientist, provided invaluable assistance to journalists.
WADA investigation
On May 12, 2016, another scandal broke out, and Grigory Rodchenkov became a defendant in it. The New York Times published material entitled "A Russian insider says that Olympic gold is fueled by state doping." It is based on an interview that Grigory Rodchenkov gave to American journalists. The biography, in which athletics played an important role, is set out in detail. Rodchenkov claims that a state doping program has been developed and is being implemented in Russia. Within its framework, only during the Winter Olympics in Sochi only he personally participated in the replacement of hundreds of samples of domestic athletes.
On the day the material is released, Rodchenkov sends an open appeal to the head of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, in which he shares the evidence he has.
The invention of Rodchenkov
Among other things, Rodchenkov in this article is recognized in his own invention. Thanks to the education of a chemist, he managed to develop a unique pharmaceutical cocktail, which includes three anabolic steroids. According to his recommendation, many Russian athletes began to use it. Most of them participated in the Summer Olympics in London and in the Winter Olympics in Sochi.
With its help, it was possible to accelerate the course of anabolic processes in the body, which contributed to the restoration of cells and the growth of muscle mass. This gave athletes an unfair advantage over competitors, and the results of their doping tests were hidden.
McLaren Report
At the same time, another blow is inflicted on the image of Russian sports. The vocabulary has already firmly entered the expression "McLaren report." It took place on July 18, 2016. A Canadian professor of international sports law, acting as an independent expert, said in an investigation into the massive use of doping by Russian athletes during the Sochi Olympics.
McLaren also claims that the charges put forward by Rodchenkov found confirmation. The Canadian calls Rodchenkov himself "the most reliable and truthful source of information about doping in Russia." At the same time, Russian President Vladimir Putin gives a strictly opposite assessment to the figure of Gregory, calling him "a man of scandalous reputation."
Putin is asking WADA to provide specific data and facts, because practically no names were given to the athletes in the McLaren report or in the speech by Rodchenkov. At the same time, the Russian government unequivocally denied allegations of supporting the use of doping by athletes, noting that, in fact, they are all based on the testimony of one person.
In turn, Maclaren claimed that he had testimonies from a large number of witnesses, whom it was not possible to name. All of them, except Rodchenkov, agreed to cooperate only on condition of anonymity.
Criminal case
The Rodchenkov family came into the view of law enforcement agencies back in 2011. Then his sister Marina was accused of trafficking in anabolic drugs. The then functioning Federal Drug Control Service conducted searches both in Rodchenkov’s apartment and in the office of the anti-doping center. True, no evidence of Gregory's involvement in this case could be found, and they did not begin to excite him.
In 2016, a criminal case was instituted against Rodchenkov in Russia based on a thorough analysis of interviews in the American media. The initiator was the Investigative Committee. The sports functionary is charged with the article “Abuse of authority”. The decision was published on July 18. The day the McLaren report took place.
