Updated February 19, 2018 13:39:15

Photo: Alexander Krushelnitsky's curling bronze medal could be under threat after the Olympic Athlete from Russia had a suspected positive test. (AP: Aaron Favila)

A Russian Olympic medallist has left the Pyeongchang Winter Games on suspicion of doping.

Alexander Krushelnitsky, who competes in curling, is suspected of testing positive for meldonium, a banned substance that increases blood flow and improves exercise capacity in athletes.

He is awaiting the results of analysis of his B sample, expected later on Monday, before a violation can be confirmed, Russian Olympic delegation spokesman Konstantin Vybornov said.

Krushelnitsky won bronze with his wife in mixed-doubles curling at Pyeongchang.

Suspicions of a doping violation have shocked the Russian team and also the sport of curling, where steady hands and sharp eyes outweigh physical fitness.

The case could jeopardise Russia's efforts to draw a line under a years-long drug-cheating scandal.

Vybornov described the situation as "simply nonsense".

Russian curling federation president Dmitry Svishchev also expressed shock, saying Russian curlers had been tested on January 22 before flying out to South Korea and the tests were negative.

"I have known these guys for many years. Only a crazy person takes banned substances before a competition, before the Olympics," Svishchev said on Sunday night when the news first broke.

"It's a strange story. It raises a lot of questions."

Photo: Alexander Krushelnitsky (R), a bronze medallist in Pyeongchang in mixed doubles curling, has left the village after a suspected positive test. (AP: Patrick Semansky)

Russia has been accused of running a state-backed, systematic doping program for years, an allegation Moscow denies.

As a result, its athletes are competing at Pyeongchang as neutral "Olympic Athletes from Russia" (OAR).

The Russians had been hoping that a clean record at Pyeongchang would persuade the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to allow them to march at the Games closing ceremony on February 25 with the Russian flag and in national uniform.

The International Olympic Committee said it had taken note of the case without going into details.

It said that if the case were to be confirmed, it would be considered by its OAR Implementation panel, the body in charge of monitoring the OAR team's behaviour at the Games.

Krushelnitsky has not responded to a request for comment.

He and his wife, Anastasia Bryzgalova, won bronze in a game against Norway.

The Norwegians would take that medal if a doping violation is confirmed.

"I hope it's not true ... for the sport of curling," said Norwegian team skipper Thomas Ulsrud.

"If it's true I feel really sad for the Norwegian team who worked really hard and ended up in fourth place and just left for Norway and they aren't even here."

Reuters

Topics: sport, winter-olympics, curling, doping-in-sports, korea-republic-of, russian-federation

First posted February 19, 2018 12:52:33