Skiers compete during the Biathlon men's World Cup 15km mass start event, in Tyumen, Russia, Sunday, March 25, 2018. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) / Sergei Grits / AP

How many banknotes can you fit in a diplomatic suitcase ? The debate is still open when Grigori Rodchenkov, director of Moscow’s anti-doping centre, enters the room. Alexander Tikhonov, vice-president of the International biathlon union (IBU), argues that it can hold between 200 000 and 300 000 dollars (between 160 000 and 240 000 euros). Alexander Kravtsov, head of the russian mission for the Sotchi Olympic Winter Games, thinks that as much as 400 000 dollars can fit inside.

The question is important : they have to know with certainty the amount of money that was given to the Norwegian Anders Besseberg, president of the IBU, to ensure his support for russian interests in biathlon.

Russia has been infiltrating the IBU for many years

The scene is thought to have taken place in the summer of 2013. It was recounted to the investigators of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) by Grigori Rodchenkov himself, now a whistleblower living in the United States. According to a classified investigation by WADA, that Le Monde has read, Russia has been infiltrating the IBU for many years, a similar pattern with what happened in athletics.

Investigators collected the testimonies from an anonymous informant and from Grigori Rodchenkov on the relationships between russian sport officials and those of the IBU : its president, Anders Besseberg, and his secretary-general, Nicole Resch. On April 11th, WADA announced that Austrian and Norwegian police had carried out, on the 10th, simultaneous searches at the headquarters of the IBU in Salzburg and at the home of Mr. Besseberg. The IBU said in a press release that Nicole Resch had asked to take leave from her position during this investigation that could call into question Russia’s return to grace on the international sports scene.

« Protection of doping russian athletes »

« The primary purpose of the corrupt practices is to ensure the protection of doping russian athletes, writes the AMA in its report, finished at the end of 2017. Russia succesfully targeted the IBU, more specifically Mr. Besseberg et Ms. Resch, so assist in the progression of russian interests. Mr. Besseberg and Ms. Resch are equally complicit and most likely aware of each other’s role in the wrong doing(...) The effectiveness of the Russian methodology is evidenced in part by :

- M. Besseberg’s unwavering support of russian interests ;

- Ms. Resch’s suspicious handling of IBU’s Biological Passport obligations ;

- The initial award of the 2021 Championships to Russia »

The 16 page report, signed by Günter Younger, head of the investigation department of WADA, are devastating for Mr. Besseberg, the first and only president of the IBU since 1993. They are another confirmation that an important part of the Russian biathlon team was, for the last years, benefiting from PEDs and being protected from prosecution.