Bronze medal winning athlete from Russia suspected of failing doping test at 2018 Winter Olympics
A 2018 Winter Olympics athlete has reportedly failed a doping test.
The competitor is from the Olympic Athlete from Russia team and has been named by Russian sports newspaper Sport Express.
A second drug test will be conducted that will either confirm or invalidate the first suspect sample.
A 2018 Winter Olympics competitor from from Russia team has reportedly failed a doping test, according to Russian daily newspaper Sport Express.
The Olympic Athlete from Russia (OAR) team has declined to name the suspect though it did confirm a "possible violation."
"Today, the headquarters of our delegation received an official notification from the International Olympic Committee about a possible violation of the anti-doping rules," an OAR statement said, according to The Guardian.
"We do not call the name of the athlete or athlete, as well as the sport, prior to the results of the opening of the sample B," the OAR added.
The results of the B sample, a second doping test used to confirm or invalidate the presence of banned substances in the first sample, will be known on Monday.
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Russian media has named the alleged doper
Sport Express, a daily sports newspaper in Russia, has said the athlete under investigation is Alexander Krushelnytsky, who helped OAR to a bronze medal in the mixed doubles curling event on February 13.
"The doping tests of the Russian curler Alexander Krushelnytsky showed suspicious results," the Sport Express report said. "Traces of meldonia are found."
Meldonia is used to treat heart attack victims and has been banned in sports since 2016. Previously, it had notably been used by Russian tennis player Maria Sharapova.
"At the moment, Krushelnytsky is being visited by doping officers for further investigation," Sport Express wrote.
Russian athletes have a history of doping
Over 160 Olympic Athletes from Russia are participating at the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Russia, itself, was banned from the games because of systemic doping at the previous Winter Olympics in Sochi, which Russia hosted.
47 Russian athletes and coaches had been banned because of widespread doping at the 2014 games.
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