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maltatoday WEDNESDAY 21 FEBRUARY 2018 Sport 20 SPORTTODAY WINTER OLYMPICS Russian medalist denies doping after positive test RUSSIAN Olympic medalist Alexander Krushelnitsky has denied taking a banned sub- stance in a suspected doping case that has rocked the Pyeo- ngchang Winter Games and could imperil Russia's efforts to regain its full Olympic status. Krushelnitsky, who won bronze in Pyeongchang with his wife in mixed doubles curl- ing, is set to face a Court of Ar- bitration for Sport hearing in the near future after he tested positive for meldonium, a drug that can aid in endurance. In his first comments since the positive test emerged this week, Krushelnitsky said he had never taken any banned substances and was categori- cally against doping. "Only a person devoid of common sense can use any kind of doping, and especially (through drugs) like meldo- nium, ahead of the Olympics where testing is at its highest level," he said in a statement published on Tuesday on the website of the Russian curling federation. The case has caused bewil- derment among curling ath- letes. The sport, a kind of chess on ice, calls for steady hands and concentration rather than physical fitness. Russian Sports Minister Pavel Kolobkov came to Krushelnit- sky's defence on Tuesday, say- ing the athlete could not have taken a banned drug deliber- ately. "It's obvious that in this par- ticular case, the athlete could not have intentionally used a prohibited substance, it just does not make any sense," Kolobkov told TASS news agency. "Curling, in theory, in not the kind of sport in which dishon- est athletes dope," he added. The doping case has come at a delicate time for Russia, which has been accused of running a state-backed, systematic dop- ing program for years, an alle- gation Moscow denies. Its athletes are competing at Pyeongchang as neutral ath- letes, and Russia had been hop- ing that a clean record at the Games would enable it to re- turn to full Olympic status. The Russian Olympic delega- tion said on Tuesday it could not explain how meldonium ended up in Krushelnitsky's body and that it was launching an investigation. "We express our sincere re- gret for this incident," it said in a statement. "We completely share and support the position of the In- ternational Olympic Commit- tee and the World Anti-Doping Agency in terms of zero toler- ance for doping and are tak- ing all necessary measures for those who are guilty to be held as responsible as possible." The delegation said the con- centration of meldonium found in Krushelnitsky's sample sug- gested he would not have de- rived a benefit. South Korean President endorses Russian presence at Winter Games SOUTH Korean President Moon Jae-in lauded Russia's participation at the Winter Games on Tuesday, saying it had "made our Olympics bet- ter", despite calls from some athletes and anti-doping agen- cies for Russians to be banned from competing at the event. Moon made the comments after giving a reception for Russian sports officials at the presidential Blue House in Seoul, two days after news broke of a doping scandal at the Pyeongchang Games in- volving a medal-winning Rus- sian curling athlete. Russia has been dogged by allegations of systematic dop- ing, which Moscow denies. That had led to calls for an Olympic ban, though the In- ternational Olympic Com- mittee (IOC) opted at Pyeo- ngchang to allow them to compete as neutral athletes. "I thank you immensely for sending a large group of athletes to the Pyeongchang Olympics despite many dif- ficult issues inside Russia," Moon told the officials. "The participation of Russia, previous Winter Olympics host and strong winter sports country, has not only made our Olympics better but has also contributed to South Ko- rea's efforts to create a venue of peace and harmony at the Pyeongchang Winter Olym- pics." The new doping scandal, involving Alexander Krush- elnitsky, who won a bronze medal in mixed-doubles curl- ing with his wife, has cast a shadow over Russia's Olympic program. The Russians were hoping that a clean record at Pyeo- ngchang would persuade the IOC to allow them to shed their neutral status at Sun- day's closing ceremony and to march behind a Russian f lag and in national uniform. The IOC has yet to decide. At Moon's reception, he met Igor Levitin, an aide to Rus- sian President Vladimir Pu- tin, who invited Moon to meet his Russian counterpart when Russia hosts the soccer World Cup this year. South Korean President Moon Jae-in greets delegation of Olympic Athletes from Russia during their meeting at the Presidential Blue House in Seoul, South Korea Alexander Krushel- nitsky, an Olympic athlete from Russia