Ramil Khabriev, RUSADA CEO, commented on the appointment: “In late January RUSADA marked its third anniversary. The formation period is over. Innovative approaches to anti-doping activities shall be adopted, so the recent reforms are aimed at shaping these new, innovative approaches and their successful implementation. RUSADA is welcoming new staff members eager to contribute to progressive development of the Agency’s activities. Test Distribution Plans start to use different criteria, we are also doing much to extend our regional network of DCOs and chaperons as well as Test Distribution Coordinators. Information and Education Programs targeting a wide range of people professionally involved in sports still form a major part of the of the Agency’s activities. Yet this field of RUSADA activities is also to be considerably modified in terms of goal setting and organizational approaches. All work is carried out in close cooperation with the Ministry of Sport, Tourism and Youth Policy of the Russian Federation as well as regional sporting bodies and organizations. In the coming years Russia will be hosting a range of major sporting events, the 2013 Summer Universiade in Kazan, the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, World Championships in popular sports. RUSADA shall be fully equipped for the events. We are now aspiring to enhance the Agency’s activities, to make our work more efficient”. Following the amendments to the Federal Law “On Physical Culture and Sports in the Russian Federation” RUSADA received a status of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency, the Ministry of Sport, Tourism and Youth Policy of the Russian Federation and the Russian Olympic Committee being among its founders. “Still RUSADA is an independent organization, in charge of full-circle anti-doping procedures in the Russian Federation with the only exception of the athlete’s biological samples research. The latter function is fulfilled by an independent organization Federal State Unitary Enterprise ANTI-DOPING CENTRE Laboratory”, RUSADA CEO added. The information has been provided by RUSADA Press Service