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At the headquarters of the Russian Olympic Committee. REUTERS / Maxim Shemetov / File Photo

This is a new cataclysm that threatens Russian athletes. Accused of falsifying data on doping, Russian sports institutions could again be excluded from international competition. The World Anti-Doping Agency must deliver its verdict on Monday, December 9 in Lausanne.

With our correspondent in Moscow, Daniel Vallot

Atmosphere of bad days at the headquarters of the Russian Olympic Committee. In the corridors, we are worried about a new exclusion of Russia : a real catastrophe, in the run-up to the Tokyo Games . " Our boxers will not go to the Games if they have to give up the Russian flag and anthem," said Umar Kremlev, head of the Russian Boxing Federation. Besides, they told me they prefer to join professional boxing, where in addition they can earn money, rather than going to fight for nothing. "

" Plot " against Russia

More than seven years after the Sochi Games , Russia is again accused of falsifying data on doping. For Umar Kremlov, the World Anti-Doping Agency would be wrong, however, to punish all athletes in his country.

" For me it is the leaders of the federations concerned by doping who are at fault," he denounces. They are the ones to punish and not the athletes who have stayed clean! I also think that the international sports community is wrong to accuse one country or another because doping affects all countries, not just Russia. "

This argument is also advanced by the Russian government, which sees in these new accusations a " conspiracy " against Russia. But this line of defense is defeated by a major player: the boss of anti-doping in Russia. For Yuri Gannous , there was indeed manipulation of data: manipulations orchestrated, according to him, to protect some athletes and their coaches.

►Read more: Russia must act against " the unacceptable problem " of doping, according to Dmitry Medvedev