Russian curlers withdraw appeal, will hand back bronze medals

ByReuters

Published 21/02/2018 at 23:03 GMT

Russian curlers Alexander Krushelnitsky and Anastasia Bryzgalova will hand back the Olympic medals they won in Pyeongchang, the Russian news agency TASS reported, citing a Russian curling Federation spokeswoman.

Bronze medalists Aleksandr Krushelnitckii and Anastasia Bryzgalova of Olympic Athletes from Russia pose during the medal ceremony for Curling Mixed Doubles on day five of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics at Medal Plaza on February 14, 2018 in Pyeongch

Image credit: Getty Images

Krushelnitsky, who won bronze in Pyeongchang with his wife Bryzgalova in mixed doubles curling, tested positive for meldonium, a drug that can aid endurance.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport said on Wednesday it would hear a case against Krushelnitsky on Thursday.

TASS quoted Krushelnitsky saying he "formally broke the anti-doping rules" and a spokeswoman for the curling federation said the admission made it certain they would return the medals won.

PyeongChang

IOC chief: PyeongChang 2018 was ‘very close’ to being cancelled due to North Korea fears

23/08/2018 at 11:26

Russia's bronze medallist Anastasia Bryzgalova (R) and Aleksandr Krushelnitckii pose on the podium during the medal ceremony for the curling mixed doubles at the Pyeongchang Medals Plaza during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang on F

Image credit: Getty Images

"The court would have made the decision to strip us of our medals anyway. But since we really admit the fact that his doping probe was positive for meldonium, we hand back the medals," TASS quoted Valentina Parinova as saying.

"I have never either violated the rules of sports or used doping," the curler said in a statement provided to TASS by Olympic Athletes from Russia (OAR) delegation head Stanislav Pozdnyakov.

"We won a bronze medal by hard work and constant training. On my part, I admit that there has been a formal violation of the current anti-doping rules.

"It would be stupid to deny it after two tests proved positive.

Russia's Anastasia Bryzgalova shouts for instructions during the curling mixed doubles bronze medal game during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at the Gangneung Curling Centre in Gangneung on February 13, 2018. /

Image credit: Getty Images

"The samples tested had been collected during the Olympic Games and I am ready to face the verdict that is usually announced in such cases. In this connection, having weighed up the pros and cons, I decided to withdraw my case from CAS.

"I believe that a hearing would be useless under the current rules."

Krushelnitckii added that he would "fulfil the rules' requirements and after than I will continue doing everything in my power so that the investigation would find strong evidence of my innocence.

"This is what the future decision of the World Curling Federation will depend upon, as it is authorized to determine the period of doping disqualifications,"

Reports have suggested that Krushelnitsky's decision to drop his appeal comes as the IOC is considering allowing the Russian athletes to march under the flag of Russia at the Closing Ceremony, rather than as Olympic Athletes from Russia as they have been doing so in the games thus far.

The IOC are reportedly due to meet on Saturday to make a decision as to whether or not they will lift the suspension which currently prohibits Russian athletes to represent their country and forced them to compete neutrally.

Join 3M+ users on app

Stay up to date with the latest news, results and live sports

Download

Scan me