Winter Olympics: Alexander Krushelnitsky subject of anti-doping case

Winter Olympics: Alexander Krushelnitsky subject of anti-doping case

Winter Olympics: Alexander Krushelnitsky subject of anti-doping case

An anti-doping case has been opened against Russian medal-winning crimper Alexander Krushelnitsky, says the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas).

Krushelnitsky, WHO won bronze together with his spouse within the mixed doubles at the Winter Olympic Games on weekday, is suspected of testing positive for meldonium.

Cas opened a case against the 25-year-old following letter of invitation from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

A hearing date has not been set and a B sample result's expected on Monday.

More than one hundred sixty competitors ar within the implement team as their country was prohibited from the Games over "systemic" doping at Sochi 2014, that they hosted.

Russian athletes WHO might prove they're clean might contend beneath the implement banner, with the team comprising 168 competitors - the third biggest behind Canada and therefore the u. s..

"It's an enormous embarrassment for the IOC, given it let implement contend," aforesaid BBC commentator Steve Cram.

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The Reuters wire service originally confirmed the identity of the contestant with a Russian Olympic delegation voice.

A voice for the IOC aforesaid it'd be "extremely dissatisfactory for US if a case is proven".

An IOC statement added: "Doping, testing and sanctionative at the Olympic Winter Games Pyeongchang 2018 is freelance from the IOC. so the IOC cannot communicate on individual cases whereas the procedure is in progress."

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The BBC understands Krushelnitsky - WHO won bronze aboard Anastasia Bryzgalova as a part of the neutral Olympic Athletics from Russia (OAR) team - has left the Pyeongchang 2018 village and is in capital of South Korea awaiting the results of the check on the B sample, that is anticipated anon Monday.

Meldonium, a prohibited substance that will increase blood flow and improves exercise capability, was prohibited in 2016.

Russian curling federation president Dmitry Svishchev confirmed to Reuters that the team's curlers had been tested on twenty two January, before flying dead set Asian country, which the tests came back then were negative.

"I have illustrious these guys for several years," Svishchev aforesaid. "Only a crazy person takes prohibited substances before a contest, before the Olympic Games.

"It's a wierd story. It raises plenty of queries."

In a statement discharged on Monday, the IOC insisted there was "a robust testing programme" in situ at the Games.

It added: "On the one hand it's extraordinarily dissatisfactory once prohibitory substances might are used, however on the opposite hand it shows the effectiveness of the anti-doping system at the Games, that protects the rights of all clean athletes."

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Steve Cram, BBC curling commentator:

"It could be a piece of surprising news. Curling isn't a sport you go with doping.

"People should not assume curling is not a physical sport, particularly mixed curling. They train laborious within the gymnasium a bit like each contestant - however it is also a sport of concentration."

Alex Capstick, BBC Sport in Pyeongchang:

"IOC voice Mark Adams aforesaid the B sample is probably going to be analysed on Monday at a laboratory in capital of South Korea. it's rare that a second check offers a special result to the primary.

"The substance concerned is believed to be meldonium, a drug prohibited since January 2016 however sold-out over the counter in several jap European countries.

"Mr Adams defended the pre-Games anti-doping programme, that he aforesaid targeted Russian competitors considerably over those from alternative countries.

"He aforesaid if a doping violation was tested then it'd be taken into thought once deciding whether or not Russia's Olympic ban would be raised in time for the closing ceremony."