Spain's Rafael Nadal sprays sparkling wine as he celebrates after winning the Barcelona Open tennis tournament in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, April 24, 2016. Spain's Rafael Nadal defeated Japan’s Kei Nishikori 6-4 and 7-5, in the final. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Spain's Rafael Nadal sprays sparkling wine as he celebrates after winning the Barcelona Open tennis tournament in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, April 24, 2016. Spain's Rafael Nadal defeated Japan’s Kei Nishikori 6-4 and 7-5, in the final. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Credit: Manu Fernandez

Montreal — A former war crimes investigator who helped examine doping in the Lance Armstrong era of cycling will help rebuild Russia’s discredited anti-doping agency.

The World Anti-Doping Agency says Peter Nicholson of Australia has begun a two-year stint “spearheading the project to redevelop” the Russian body, known as RUSADA.

The agency was shut down in November after a WADA-appointed inquiry alleged it was complicit in a state-backed doping conspiracy in Russian track.

Nicholson was part of a three-member independent commission which last year delivered a report on systematic doping to the International Cycling Union.

TennisNadal suing for doping accusation

Madrid — Rafael Nadal is suing a former French minister who accused him of doping, saying he needs to defend his integrity and image as an athlete.

The player says he filed a defamation lawsuit on Monday against Roselyne Bachelot, France’s former minister for health and sport.

Bachelot said on French television last month that the Spaniard’s seven-month injury hiatus in 2012 was “probably due to a positive doping test.”

The 14-time Grand Slam champion says the lawsuit is intended to keep “any public figure from making insulting or false allegations against an athlete using the media, without any evidence or foundation and to go unpunished.”