WINTER OLYMPICS
Russia’s sports minister insists curling is not a doping sport
Moscow — The Russian sports minister has defended the Olympic curler Alexander Krushelnitzky who tested positive for doping. "He could not have used the banned drug [meldonium] intentionally, it would be simply pointless. Curling is not the kind of sport in which dishonest athletes use doping," the Russian news agencies reported. Krushelnitsky said on Tuesday he had never knowingly doped and welcomed an investigation into the "shock" result. Krushelnitsky had passed rigorous vetting to attend the Pyeongchang Games, raising questions over the testing programme and the move to let Russians compete despite systemic doping at the 2014 Sochi Olympics. "I more than anyone else am interested in an investigation as soon as possible to find out the reasons for what has happened," Krushelnitsky said in a statement published on the website of Russia’s curling federation. "I am ready to confirm that not once in the whole time that I have been in sport have I taken any banned substance or compet...
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