Second Russian athlete fails doping test at Winter Games

By Gabrielle Tetrault-Farber and Karolos Grohmann

 

Bobsleigh - Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics - Women's Finals - Olympic Sliding Centre - Pyeongchang, South Korea - February 21, 2018 - Olympic athletes from Russia Nadezhda Sergeeva (R) and Anastasia Kocherzhova react. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann

 

PYEONGCHANG, South Korea (Reuters) - A second Russian athlete has tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, a major blow for the nation's hopes of regaining its Olympic status and drawing a line under years of doping scandals.

 

Bobsledder Nadezhda Sergeeva tested positive for a heart drug on Feb. 18, five days after a previous doping test returned a negative result for her, the Russian bobsleigh federation said in a statement on Friday.

 

"On Feb. 13, her sample was clean. The team's medical staff did not prescribe the drug to the athlete," the federation said in a post on its official Facebook page.

 

"The Bobsleigh Federation of Russia and the athlete herself understand the extent of their responsibility and understand how what has happened can have an impact on the fate of the whole team."

 

Earlier this week, Russian curling medallist Alexander Krushelnitsky agreed to hand back his mixed-team bronze medal after testing positive for meldonium, which can aid in endurance.

 

Krushelnitsky's case shocked the Russian athletes, who are competing at the Games as neutral athletes as punishment over allegations that the sporting powerhouse ran a systematic, state-backed doping programme. Moscow denies this.

 

But his case also raised doubts about whether the violation was intentional because meldonium would offer few benefits in curling, which does not involve intense physical exertion.

 

At that point, there were still Russian hopes that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) would go ahead and lift its suspension of Russia's Olympic committee and allow them to march with the Russian flag at Sunday's closing ceremony.

 

That prospect is now severely complicated by the second positive test of a Russian athlete. Russia now accounts for two out of four positive tests during the Games.

 

The IOC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

 

The news came a few hours after hundreds of Russian fans roared in celebration when teenage figure skater Alina Zagitova delivered their team's first gold medal.

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-02-24

I'm still trying to figure out why a "curler" needs to dope?

 

And Putin is indignant that the Russian "athletes" were prohibited from the 2018 Winter Games?

Be fair, at least the drugs don;t make them look like the old East German shot putters !

5 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

I'm still trying to figure out why a "curler" needs to dope?

 

I wondered too. Perhaps it's because of all the frantic and ridiculous sweeping. For which, by the way, I find the sport unbearable to watch. They should just rely on the shooter's skill rather than try to manipulate the stone to the required spot. Then perhaps Valium would help them more.

Russian Olympian Who Wore an 'I Don't Do Doping' Slogan Shirt Just Failed Her Drug Test

 

Nadezhda Sergeeva, pilot of the two-woman bobsled team representing the Olympic Athletes from Russia, proudly proclaimed her anti-doping stance when she appeared in a YouTube video wearing a sweatshirt with the slogan “I don’t do doping” stamped brightly across the front.

 

http://time.com/5172784/russian-doping-shirt/

 

 

Not the sharpest tool in the drawer.

Maybe if the Olympics made "doping" an event the Russians could get back some pride.

Reminds me of the lance armstrong story....

 

Top athletes take whatever drugs improve their performance, and work on not being 'caught out'.

 

I am suprised that this un-suprising story about an un-successful russian athlete has become news - or more accurately - I'm not!

 

Those 'bloody ruskies' is becoming a theme..... 

Edited February 24, 20188 yr by dick dasterdly

So two now caught out again, but watch the Olympic committee allow them to march out in the Russian teams colours in closing ceremony... They should have banned the lot of them period - They are Cheats.

Troll post and reply removed.

 

I am convinced there has been state sponsored and organised doping going on there for quite some time, same as in the old DDR, for some time in China, etc.

 

However I don't believe the curling player caught was doing dope, there simply is no point in that, sounds to me like a mistake or genuine medication.

50 minutes ago, stevenl said:

there simply is no point in that

Question has been asked but no answers:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-olympics-2018-doping-curling/bemused-curlers-ask-why-would-anyone-dope-in-our-sport-idUSKCN1G30AN

Maybe the answer is that the Russian State is so ingrained with doping its athletes that there is no sport that would be exempt. Athletes aren't in a position to refuse.

On 23/02/2018 at 11:32 PM, rooster59 said:

That prospect is now severely complicated by the second positive test of a Russian athlete. Russia now accounts for two out of four positive tests during the Games.

that's 50% of the cheats are Russians. 

 

Who would in their right mind trust a Russian...

9 hours ago, stevenl said:

I am convinced there has been state sponsored and organised doping going on there for quite some time, same as in the old DDR, for some time in China, etc.

 

However I don't believe the curling player caught was doing dope, there simply is no point in that, sounds to me like a mistake or genuine medication.

Often think that they were cheating at chess with miniature radio signalling devices when they dominated the world chess championships during the last half of the last century.