Moscow, Feb 17 (IANS): Late executive director of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (Rusada) Nikita Kamayev used to complain to his friends of heart pain after physical exercise, Ramil Khabriyev, the agency’s ex-director general has said.
Kamayev passed away on Sunday at the age of 52, reports Tass.
"There is no official diagnosis from doctors, but the tragedy is hundred percent connected with heart problems," Khabriyev said on Tuesday.
"I personally never heard him complaining of his heart problems."
"However, the day after his death I learnt that he used to complain recently to his friends of heart pain he felt after physical exercise," Khabriyev added.
Asked whether the recent chain of doping scandals in Russian sports could have added to Kamayev’s heart problems, Khabriyev said, "This of course added up as well."
"Nikita was extremely upset and it continued day after day. I tried to give him work on various other projects, but he was a very responsible person. It all undoubtedly added up."
Khabriyev also said that the funeral will be held on Wednesday in Moscow and Kamayev will be laid to rest at the Khovansky cemetery.
The Independent Commission of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) published on November 9, 2015 the results of its probe into the activities of the All-Russia Athletics Federation (ARAF), the Moscow anti-doping laboratory, the Rusada and the Russian sports ministry.
The commission accused certain athletes and sports officials of doping abuse and involvement in other activities related to violations of international regulations on performance enhancing substances.
Rusada and the Moscow anti-doping laboratory subsequently suspended their activities, while on November 13 WADA’s Board of Founders approved the decision of the agency’s independent committee that Rusada did not comply with the Code of the international anti-doping organisation.
In December, all of Rusada’s top executives, including Kamayev and Khabriyev, resigned from their posts.
Kamayev’s death is the second one this month involving Rusada executives. Vyacheslav Sinev, who was Rusada’s executive board chairman and used to be the head of the agency until 2010, died on February 3.