Final Report of the Ibu External Review Commission
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IBU External Review Commission Final Report Redacted version FINAL REPORT OF THE IBU EXTERNAL REVIEW COMMISSION REDACTED VERSION 28 January 2021 IBU External Review Commission Final Report Redacted version Table of Contents 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................ 1 1A. Introduction ............................................................................................................. 1 1B. Cases to answer for breach of the IBU's rules .............................................. 2 1C. Recommendations for action going forward ............................................... 9 1D. Conclusion.............................................................................................................. 11 2. GLOSSARY AND DRAMATIS PERSONAE ....................................................................... 12 2A. Glossary of acronyms ......................................................................................... 12 2B. Key dramatis personae ...................................................................................... 13 3. THE COMMISSION'S FIRST MANDATE: ASSISTING WADA AND THE CRIMINAL AUTHORITIES IN THEIR RESPECTIVE INVESTIGATIONS ..................................... 15 3A. Cooperation with WADA ................................................................................... 15 3B. Cooperation with the criminal authorities ................................................ 15 4. THE COMMISSION'S SECOND MANDATE: UPDATING AND STRENGTHENING THE IBU CONSTITUTION AND SUPPORTING RULES .............................................. 20 5. THE COMMISSION'S THIRD MANDATE: DETERMINING WHETHER ANYONE HAS A CASE TO ANSWER FOR BREACH OF THE IBU'S RULES ............................. 22 5A. The allegations investigated ........................................................................... 22 5B. The legal framework for the investigation ................................................ 24 5B.1 The IBU rules and regulations ..................................................................... 24 5B.2 The test the Commission has applied to determine whether there is a case to answer for breach of the applicable IBU rules ........................................................................................................................ 26 5B.2 Duties owed to the IBU under the Austrian law of associations ......................................................................................................... 29 5C. The investigation process followed by the Commission ....................... 31 5C.1 Hard copy documents and electronic files ............................................. 31 5C.2 Interviews ............................................................................................................ 32 5C.3 Engagement with biathletes ......................................................................... 34 5C.4 Whistleblower reports .................................................................................... 35 6. THIRD MANDATE: THE EVIDENCE GATHERED AND THE CASES TO ANSWER IDENTIFIED BY THE COMMISSION............................................................................... 36 6A. Doping in Russian biathlon ............................................................................. 36 6A.1 Dr Rodchenkov's allegations ........................................................................ 36 6A.2 Dr Rodchenkov's credibility as a witness ............................................... 39 6A.3 Corroboration of Dr Rodchenkov's evidence generally .................... 42 6A.4 Corroboration of Dr Rodchenkov's evidence specifically in relation to biathlon ........................................................................................... 44 i IBU External Review Commission Final Report Redacted version 6B. Did Anders Besseberg and/or Nicole Resch improperly favour Russian interests, in breach of their duties to the IBU and to the sport? ........ 58 6B.1 Did Anders Besseberg receive bribes and/or other favours from Russian parties? ...................................................................................... 58 6B.2 Was Nicole Resch groomed by the RBU? ................................................. 68 6B.3 Did Mr Besseberg or Ms Resch compromise IBU ABP testing and/or other testing of Russian biathletes? ........................................... 70 6B.3.1 Did they compromise the IBU's ABP programme? .............................. 70 a. The allegations ....................................................................................... 70 b. The evidence gathered by the Commission .................................. 74 6B.3.2 Did they compromise other aspects of the IBU's anti-doping programme? ....................................................................................................... 80 6B.4 Allowing Alexander Tikhonov to remain in office as IBU 1st Vice-President after he was convicted of conspiracy to ......................................................................... 85 6B.5 Tolerating attempts by Alexander Tikhonov to bribe other commit a serious crime......... parties .................................................................................................................... 86 6B.6 The failure to follow up Ustyugov's highly abnormal ABP values at the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi ........................................... 87 6B.7 The failure to address RBU President Alexander Kravtsov's apparent attempt to buy votes at the 2014 IBU Election Congress ................................................................................................................ 93 6B.8 The failure to investigate properly the syringe of rEPO found on the training track at the 2015 IBU World Cup event in Antholz .................................................................................................................. 97 6B.9 The delay in establishing a proper ABP programme and in pursuing the Ustyugov case ....................................................................... 102 6B.9.1 Delay in setting up proper ABP programme ....................................... 102 6B.9.2 The delay in progressing Ustyugov's abnormal ABP profile ......... 106 6B.10 The failure to comply with the IBU's commitment under the World Anti-Doping Code to do everything possible not to award the 2021 Biathlon World Championships to Russia ......... 107 6B.11 Was the vote at the 2016 IBU Congress to award the 2021 IBU WCH to Tyumen corrupted by bribery? ............................................... 120 6B.12 Did the IBU follow up properly on the second McLaren report? ................................................................................................................ 121 6B.13 Nicole Resch's actions in late 2017 and early 2018 in relation to the anti-doping cases brought by the IBU and the IOC ............. 136 6B.14 Anders Besseberg lobbying the IOC to allow Russian biathletes to compete in the 2018 Olympic Games after the IBU Executive Board had decided the IBU should not do so ........ 148 6B.15 Mr Besseberg blocking the relocation of the 2018 IBU World Cup final event away from Tyumen, Russia ........................................ 153 6B.16 The failure to move the 2018 IBU World Cup final event away from Tyumen even after the new LIMS evidence supported the bringing of further doping cases ...................................................... 160 ii IBU External Review Commission Final Report Redacted version APPENDIX 1: LIST OF INFORMATION SOURCES ............................................................ A1-1 APPENDIX 2: IBU RULES OF CONDUCT IN FORCE IN THE PERIOD 2009 TO 2018 A2-1 APPENDIX 3: WHISTLEBLOWER COMPLAINTS ............................................................. A3-1 iii IBU External Review Commission Final Report Redacted version 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In April 2018, it was widely reported that the criminal authorities in Austria and Norway were investigating allegations that then-IBU President Anders Besseberg and IBU Secretary General Nicole Resch had buried evidence of Russian doping in return for improper benefits (including, in Mr Besseberg’s case, receipt of up to $300,000), and had conducted surprise raids of their respective residences and of the IBU offices to search for potential evidence. Recognising the critical importance of restoring public confidence in the integrity of the IBU and in its zero tolerance for corruption and doping in biathlon, in November 2018 the IBU Executive Board appointed an independent External Review Commission to support the criminal authorities in their enquiries and to conduct its own thorough, independent, and transparent investigation into the allegations. The IBU Executive Board committed to the publication of the outcome of the Commission’s investigation once it was completed. The External Review Commission has now completed an exhaustive investigation, and this Final Report sets out its conclusions. It is important to emphasise that although the criminal investigations remain pending at the time of writing against Mr Besseberg in Norway and Ms Resch in Austria, neither of them has yet been charged with any offence, let alone convicted, and they remain presumed innocent of any wrongdoing unless and until charged and convicted. Furthermore, the External Review Commission is not considering criminal liability, only potential liability under the IBU’s rules. In addition, the External Review Commission