Sergei Belanov, women’s curling coach for the Olympic Athletes from Russia, dismissed reports that the mixed doubles bronze medallist had taken the banned drug meldonium.
“No benefits. No advantage” said Belonov. “And I don’t believe a young man chooses risk or will use the same drug that has been around for two years.
“It’s stupid and Alexander is not a stupid man.”
Krushelnitsky is the only curler named Alexander on the Russian team. Various Russian reports have named him as the athlete involved.
A spokesman for the OAR said an A sample from a Russian athlete showed a possible violation of anti-doping rules, and a B sample would be tested on Monday.
“I would never believe someone on our team would do that,” women’s curling skip Victoria Moiseeva.