United States law enforcement authorities are investigating a Russian sports agent based in New York on suspicion of bribery and corruption, sources tell The New York Times.The agent, Andrey Baranov, who lives on Manhattans Upper West Side, has been under surveillance by federal authorities. Sources tell the newspaper that investigators are trying to determine whether Baranov conspired with organizers of American marathons, including the New York City Marathon, to allow runners to used banned substances while competing.The operation is part of a broader investigation by the U.S. Justice Department into doping. The probe includes the FBI and investigators from the U.S. Attorneys office for the Eastern District of New York.Federal officials also are looking into possible racketeering and money-laundering schemes involving the organizers of major American track events.The news about Baranov comes as elite athletes from all over the world are arriving in New York for Sundays marathon.According to the Times report, Baranov, who has been described in the past as a whistleblower who exposed cheating and corruption in track and field, has not been charged with any crimes.Baranov, on Thursday, said he was not aware of the governments probe. Baranov denied he is involved in any criminal activity, telling the Times he has absolutely not entered doping athletes in U.S. races, nor made inappropriate payments to race officials.A New York City Marathon spokesman, meanwhile, said race officials also know nothing about criminal activities within their organization, and that Baranov had not bribed anyone in the group.In keeping with international authorities who have banned Russian athletes from competition, no Russians are registered to run in Sundays marathon. Baranov said none of his clients are registered to run, either.The Justice Department was investigating state-sponsored doping by Russian athletes, with an emphasis on those who might aid competitors in the U.S. who are doping, or used the nations banks to fund doping schemes -- the Times reported in May. Grigory Rodchenkov, former head of Russias anti-doping lab, told the newspaper the Russian government was running a program to help its athletes use banned substances and avoid detection.More than 100 Russian athletes were banned from the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Eastern European athletes who participated in the 2008 and 2012 Summer Games also faced discipline, after their urine samples were retested.Federal authorities, according to the Times, are looking into whether race officials have been bribed to allow athletes to compete while using banned performance-enhancing drugs, and whether doped athletes have consciously been entered into competitions, which legally could be considered fraud. The track investigation reportedly is focusing on the agents for track athletes, like Baranov, and whether they might be laundering money through American banks.The investigation is similar to criminal inquiries into FIFA, soccers scandal-ridden governing body. Eighteen people connected to the FIFA investigation have been convicted on charges ranging from bribery and racketeering to money laundering and wire fraud.While the investigation centers on Russian agents, if it is found that payments being used for illegal purposes are being made through American banks, the U.S. government can claim jurisdiction over the alleged crimes.In fact, Rodchenkov also is facing scrutiny by U.S. officials, though he fled to the United States in 2015 and has provided investigators with information.Baranov, 50, who moved to New York in the 1990s, according to the Times, and has competed in the New York City Marathon six times, runs the Spartanik Running School. It was founded in 2003 to help boost Eastern European athletes in Olympic competitions.Baranov has represented a number of high-profile runners, including some top finishers in New York, Boston, Los Angeles and Chicago, who have failed drug tests. 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With the pressure on, OpTic cruised through both PNDA and LDLC Gaming on the strength of terrific overall team performances to finally qualify. As a result of the Day 1 loss, however, OpTic was forced to traverse the double-elimination bracket as the second seed from Group H, which placed them in the unenviable position of facing Team EnVyUs in Round 1.In easily one of the most anticipated face-offs of the tournament, OpTic appeared to be no match for the rejuvenated EnVyUs squad. Stage 2 hero John John Perez in particular gave OpTic fits, registering ridiculous K/D numbers in Round 2 Search and Destroy and Round 4 Capture the Flag en route to a 88/73 series K/D. With the 3-1 series loss, OpTic, the favorites to win Call of Duty XP, will now need to win six straight matches from the lower bracket in order to make it to the finals.While OpTics struggles have been well documented, its rival from last season, FaZe Clan, appear to be peaking at just the right time. Its not just that FaZe havent lost a match yet in the tournament (4-0), its that theyve done it in such dominating fashion, not dropping a single round in any game. And while FaZes first two opponents of the tournament werent the competitions cream of the crop, FaZes next two opponents, Team eLevate and Infused, certainly had aspirations of championship glory.dddddddddddd Always a team that plays better in front of a crowd, FaZe appears to be on an entirely different level at CoD XP. If James Clayster Eubanks and the rest of the team can continue their strong performances through the pivotal Round 2 matchup against Team EnVyUs, there might not be a team that can stop them.On top of the success of North American favorites such as FaZe Clan and Team EnVyUs, Call of Duty XP might go down as the year of the Europeans, as a record-breaking six teams from across the pond qualified for the double-elimination bracket. While HyperGames, Epsilon Esports, the aforementioned Infused, and Millenium didnt survive their respective opening round matches, each of those teams could make a run through the lower bracket. And whats more, the two surviving European teams, Splyce and FAB Games, will square off to start Round 2, assuring that at least one European team will make it into the upper bracket semifinals.Considering the winner of that matchup will face either Team EnVyUs or FaZe Clan, a finals berth through the upper bracket seems difficult, but certainly not impossible. In a renaissance year for European Call of Duty, its been refreshing to see so many teams from overseas place well at the biggest international tournament of the year and should be considered an encouraging showing for fans of the region. ' ' '