Russian curler Alexander Krushelnitsky and his wife, Anastasia Bryzgalova, will be stripped of the bronze medal in mixed doubles curling after Krushelnitsky’s B sample tested positive for the banned performance-enhancing substance Meldonium.
In their place, Norwegian pairing Magnus Nedregotten and Kristin Skaslien will receive the Russian couple’s medals, according to the Independent.
But on top of 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.
The OAR delegation issued a statement confirming the positive test, but cast doubt on whether the athlete took the drug knowingly.
According to Inside the Games, Krushelnitsky told Russian officials that he suspects a teammate who was not selected for the 2018 Winter Olympics may have spiked his drink during a pre-Olympic training camp in Japan.
“First of all, I want to apologize 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,” he told Inside The Games. “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. 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 its participation in PyeongChang due to systemic doping offenses.
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 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.