The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has opened an investigation into Veronika Loginova, the head of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA), according to a report by Russian outlet Izvestia, citing WADA’s press service. An investigation published by The Insider on April 18 presented evidence that Loginova is the long-term romantic partner of an FSB colonel who has been tasked with defending Russian athletes from doping accusations in Swiss court.
Before that, in February The New York Times had reported that Loginova may have been personally involved in hiding Russian athletes’ doping test results during the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, with the newspaper’s sources saying WADA had received information about the matter. At the time, WADA confirmed the report that it had received information but did not say whether a formal investigation had been opened.
However, on April 20 WADA’s press service clarified to RBC Sport that its independent investigations department has been handling Loginova’s case for at least four months:
“WADA takes these allegations very seriously and has referred them to its independent investigations department….Since December 2025, the independent department has also been investigating another serious allegation made by a source against the same individual at RUSADA. Because the department is independent, WADA management does not have detailed information about this investigation, which is ongoing.”
Loginova rejected the allegations first raised by The New York Times, calling them “fantasies”:
“These fantasies, apparently driven by a desire to promote sensational claims — presumably to boost magazine sales — do not correspond to reality...During the period of the 2014 Olympic Games, I was responsible for the educational program, was a member of the WADA team, and did not have even a potential opportunity to come into contact with the anti-doping laboratory’s activities, much less influence the processes of collecting doping samples and their subsequent analysis.”
However, as The Insider revealed on April 18, the same FSB unit responsible for poisoning Russian opposition figures is also responsible for the state-run doping program in Russian sports. Russia's doping program and its political assassination program share personnel, a physical address, and the same director. One prominent example of a figure who plays a role in both programs is FSB Col. Dmitry Kovalov, a man who just so happens to be in a long-term personal relationship as Loginova’s civilian partner.
The Insider’s full report can be found here.
