Canadian curler sounds off

Russian doping scandal doesn’t shock Kennedy

News that a Russian mixed doubles bronze medallist tested positive for a banned substance was met with surprise among some curlers at the Olympics, but Marc Kennedy wasn’t the slightest bit shocked.

“I would be if it wasn’t coming from Russia,” the St. Albert, Alta., native said. “That’s statesponsored, everyone mandated to be doping. … So no, I’m not surprised. Most people will tell you they shouldn’t be here. I absolutely agree with that.”

The Court of Arbitration for Sport opened an official case against Russian curler Alexander Krushelnitzky on Monday after both samples tested positive for meldonium, a banned substance that increases blood flow and improves exercise capability in athletes.

Krushelnitzky and his wife, Anastasia Bryzgalova, won the bronze medal in mixed doubles curling last Tuesday, beating Kristin Skaslien and Magnus Nedregotten in the third-place game. The Norwegians could be in line to claim the bronze if and when the Russians are stripped.

“If Krushelnitzky used dope, then I would like to take the medal,” Nedregotten told Norway’sTV2.

Kennedy was one of the few Olympic curlers who wanted to speak out on the subject Monday. Many others, like members of the Canadian women’s team, said they were too focused on their own games to think about a doping scandal.

Kennedy didn’t need any prodding to speak his mind.

“It’s infuriating to the other athletes to know this is going on and they still get to compete,” he said. “Now you’ve got an athlete who says he was clean again and tests positive. It’s unbelievable for every other clean athlete in the world.

“We’re in a sport where it doesn’t affect that much and it’s not going to make you a better athlete. For those athletes in other sports like biathlon and cross-country skiing that have to put up with this all the time, it’s unbelievable that (the Russians) are even allowed to be here.”

While a positive test could be somewhat of a black eye for curling, it has much bigger ramifications for the Russian Olympic program. Russia was banned from these games but their “clean” athletes were allowed to compete as Olympic Athletes from Russia under an independent banner.

A positive test for meldonium could be detrimental to Russia’s attempts to get reinstated to the Olympics.

“I don’t think it looks bad for curling,” said American curler Matt Hamilton, who competed in mixed doubles with his sister Becca.

“I think it looks bad for the athletes from Russia.”

I’m rapping; I’m singing a song, just amping myself up. I’ve got a little motto ‘Just do what you’ve already done,’ because I’ve done everything I need to do to be in that pipe, and to do tricks that I know I can do. So I’m just yelling at myself to ‘Just do it! Just do it!’ CASSIE SHARPE, Comox, B.C., halfpipe skier