Fresh doping charge likely to hurt Russia’s comeback
The new scandal could keep banned Russia from marching under national flag
PYEONGCHANG: Russia could lose their chance to be reinstated before the end of the Winter Olympics because of a doping charge against curling bronze medalist Alexander Krushelnitsky. The Court of Arbitration for Sport said in a statement on Monday that it has “initiated a procedure involving” Krushelnitsky, who finished third in mixed doubles with his wife, Anastasia Bryzgalova.
IOC spokesman Mark Adams says a failed doping test could keep Russia’s banned team from marching under the national flag at the closing ceremony.
Russian athletes are participating in the Pyeongchang Olympics as “Olympic Athletes from Russia.” The IOC suspended the Russian Olympic committee last year in connection with a massive doping scheme at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi but allowed 168 athletes to compete under neutral uniforms and without the Russian national flag.
Adams confirmed the positive test and says it could have “consequences” in evaluating the behavior the Russian team, which was required to abide by restrictions - including bans to some medal favorites - and to undergo extra drug tests.
“If confirmed this will be taken into account along with many other factors” regarding Russian behavior,” Adams said.
Russian Curling Federation president Dmitry Svishchev told The Associated Press that Krushelnitsky tested clean as recently as January 22, the day before he flew to a pre-Olympic training camp in Japan.
Svishchev said it was possible someone spiked Krushelnitsky’s food or drink with meldonium, which was banned in 2016. He suggested that Russia’s political enemies could be responsible. “It can’t happen at the Olympic Village because everyone eats the same canteen food,” he said.
Russian women’s curling coach Sergei Belanov said he didn’t believe that a young and “clever man” would dope. “It’s stupid. But Aleksandr is not stupid, so I don’t believe it.”
The skip of the Russian women’s team, Viktoria Moiseeva wanted to comfort Krushelnitsky and Bryzgalova but “we thought that there are no words to comfort now. We just tried to stay away.”