Former Moscow Doping Laboratory head suspended from FIS Medical Commission

Grigory Rodchenkov, the former Moscow Laboratory director described as an "aider and abettor" of doping activities, has been suspended from the International Ski Federation's (FIS) Medical Committee, the governing body has confirmed.

The Russian was identified in the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) Independent Commission (IC) report as a key player in promoting systemic doping within athletics, recommending he should be "permanently removed from his position”.

They interviewed Rodchenkov twice during their investigations and claimed he admitted to intentionally destroying nearly 1,500 samples in order to limit the extent of WADA's audit and reduce any potential adverse findings from subsequent analysis by another accredited laboratory.

"The IC further finds that at the heart of the positive drug test cover-up is Dir. Rodchenkov," the report added.

After initially denying any wrongdoing and slamming WADA as "idiots", Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko revealed Rodchenkov had resigned in order "to take all the negatives away with him".

His suspension by the FIS was confirmed in a status update published by the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) ahead of the Nordic skiing World Cup opener in Kuusamo.

Grigory Rodchenkov was head of the anti-doping laboratory in Moscow, the building allegedly at the centre of systemic doping in Russia ©Getty Images

Studies are currently being undertaken to ascertain whether he has interfered in any FIS activity.

Samples stored in Moscow are to be moved to another WADA-accredited laboratory for new analysis, while the Russian Ski Federation has also been asked to consider the allegations.

Several Russian skiers have failed tests in recent months, including reigning national junior cross-country champion Nikita Mashkin and female youth skier Arina Kalinina.

They were both banned for two years.

FIS anti-doping expert Rasmus Damsgaard reportedly admitted the revelations in Russia "did not come as a big surprise" for the governing body's anti-doping team.

They insisted, however, they have spent considerable resources on doping controls in Russia and remain "confident" in the work they have done.