Russian husband and wife curling duo stripped of bronze medal after Alexander Krushelnitsky’s drugs test failure is confirmed
Krushelnitsky's B sample tested positive for Meldonium but a criminal investigation has now been launched amid fears he had been spiked by a rival athlete
RUSSIAN curler Alexander Krushelnitsky and his stunning wife Anastasia Bryzgalova are to be stripped of the bronze medal they won in the mixed doubles curling.
Krushelnitsky's B sample has tested positive for the banned performance-enhancing substance Meldonium.
As a result the reports that Norwegian pairing of Magnus Nedregotten and Kristin Skaslien will inherit the Russian couple's third place.
But on top the announcement made by the Olympic Athletes of Russia comes the news that a criminal investigation has been launched in an attempt to discover how the drug entered his body.
After Krushelnitsky’s B sample was analysed on Monday, the OAR delegation issued a statement to confirm the positive test.
But they have cast doubt on whether the athlete took the drug knowingly after he was unable to explain how it entered his system.
Krushelnitsky is said to fear a teammate who was not selected for the 2018 Winter Olympics may have spiked his drink during a pre-Games training camp.
He told : "First of all, I want to apologise to my partners on the Olympic team, our delegation and all the fans for not being able to project ourselves and Anastasia from the problems that we faced today.
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“I’m very sorry that the historical victory of Russian curling has now become the subject of a doping scandal, which is doing immense harm to our sport and to all Russian sports in general.
“At the same time, I am ready to openly state that I have never, never during the time that I practice sport, used forbidden drugs and any other dishonest ways of competing.
“I am absolutely against doping and I have always tried to follow all anti-doping rules as closely as possible.
“My positive test for Meldonium in this regard was for me and for Anastasia not just a shock, this is a huge blow both to our reputation and career.
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“Not to mention that only people completely devoid of common sense can use any kind of doping, and even more so Meldonium, on the eve of the Olympic Games, where testing is at the highest level.
“That’s why I, more than anyone else, am interested in conducting an early investigation to find out the reasons of what happened.”
The incident is particularly embarrassing for Russia given that its Olympic Association is attempting to rebuild its reputation following the International Olympic Committee-enforced ban on their participation in Pyeongchang due to systemic doping offences.
The IOC is considering lifting Russia’s ban at the end of the Games and allowing the 168 athletes – minus Krushelnitsky – to march under the Russian flag at the closing ceremony this weekend.
Meldonium was banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency [Wada] at the start of 2016, with its most high-profile case involving Russian tennis player Maria Sharapova, who served a 15-month ban from the sport.