BARCELONA, Jan 26, 2024 (AFP) - Spain replaced the chief of their anti-
doping agency (CELAD) on Friday after accusations of malpractice.

The Spanish government demanded earlier in January that Jose Luis Terreros 
step down because of the "reputational damage" Spanish sport and the agency 
had suffered as a result.

CELAD said in a statement they have approved the appointment of former 
Secretary of State for Health Silvia Calzon to the position.

"At its meeting on Friday, the board of directors ... approved the 
appointment of Silvia Calzon to the post of director general of the 
organisation," announced CELAD, without referring to Terreros.

Spain's leading governmental sports authority (CSD) had asked Terreros to 
resign on January 5.

The CSD passed on a report on the agency to Spanish prosecutors after an 
investigation into a complaint alleging "irregularities in the use of public 
funds and in the control and sanctioning of doping".

Spanish media outlet Relevo said CELAD had exploited bureaucratic loopholes 
to cover up positive cases.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) also heavily criticised CELAD and said 
they were holding a comprehensive investigation, while threatening 
"significant consequences for Spanish sport" if doping cases are not dealt 
with appropriately.

CELAD responded on January 10 in a statement, describing the reports of 
malpractice as "untrue" and "biased conjectures as a result of sensationalist 
interpretations".

Terreros then told El Pais he would step down but at his own pace, and said 
the reports were "false information".