Olympic Intrigue: Officials Investigating Whether Russian Was Sabotaged With Doping Drug

This could be a case for Angela Lansbury  on Meldonium, She Wrote.  There has been considerable coverage of Aleksandr Krushelnitckii, a bronze medalist in mixed doubles  curling (with his wife), who tested positive for a doping drug.  Many of us immediately wondered why a curler would need to dope.  The sport is not viewed as the most intensive physical challenge.  Yet, after the comprehensive cheating by Russia (leading to the banning of their flag and identifications at these games), the doping allegations seemed all-too-believable for many. Now, however, officials are looking at the possibility of sabotage.

Meldonium was developed by the Soviet Union in Latvia in 1970 and is used as a treatment for coronary artery disease and specifically ischemia, a reduction in blood flow to organs in the body.  Given its increase on blood flow, it is viewed as a doping substance and was banned in 2016 by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

What has intrigued the Olympic officials is that the test on Krushelnitckii showed a much higher presence of the drug than would be normal for someone being treated with the drug. That has led to suggestions that he might have been sabotaged,  They are awaiting more drug test results.

This would make for a truly great crime drama if cameras caught the fourth place couple (who are also married) from Norway (Kristin Skaslien and Magnus Nedregotten) offering Krushelnitckii a congratulatory flask.

Of course, as we recently discussed, the Russians have not exactly stopped doping in competitions.