Alexander Krushelnitsky tested positive for prohibited substance meldonium.
Russian Athlete Alexander Krushelnitsky is facing a possible ban, after he was charged for doping by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
According to the Guardian, the charge came after Alexander tested positive for prohibited substance meldonium.
Meldonium, became a banned substance in 2016 as it led to super star Russian tennis player Maria Sharapova excused from competiting for a total of 15 months.
Alexander and his wife Anastasia Bryzgalova were bronze medal winners in the mixed curling event at the ongoing 2018 Winter Olympics.
There have been enquiries into the decision by the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) to allow 168 Russian Athletes participate at the Winter Olympics despite a reported sponsored doping programme by the state.
The Russians were competing under a neutral flag, but Alexander’s teammates were surprised when he was leaving as they insisted he could not have done anything wrong.
Viktoria Moiseeva said, “We were all shocked when we found out,”
Moiseeva was of the opinion that it is some kind of mistake. She said,“Of course we very much hope it was some kind of mistake. With us it’s not faster, higher, stronger; it’s about being more accurate. I can’t imagine what kind of drugs you could use in curling … so it’s very hard to believe.”
There are reports that Alexander explained to Russian officials perhaps athletes who were not selected for the Olympics spiked his drink during the training before travelling PyeongChang.
The IOC has reacted to the development, as spokesman Mark Adams backed the selection of athletes from Russia, he however expressed his disappointment and took a stance that doping cases should be looked at from an individual point of view and not as a group.