The news hit like a bomb in the biathlon world just hours before today's men's relay.
Italian police conducted a raid early Saturday morning against, in particular, Russian biathlete Alexander Loginov and his personal trainer Aleksandr Kasperovich.
"They seized a cell phone, a computer and some of my personal things," Loginov told Russian Match TV.
He, along with teammate Yevgeny Garanitev, was awakened by police trying to break the door to their room.
- They asked us to sit still in the underwear. They were only interested in my stuff, says Loginov.
Listed in today's relayAlexander Loginov is currently listed as Russia's last man in the baton today.
He has previously been suspended for doping between 2014 and 2016 and earlier this week he became world champion in sprint which aroused strong reactions from competitors.
"He doesn't deserve to be here," the Norwegian, Tarjei Bö, told NRK.
"Hoped to avoid this"The Russian news agency Interfax also writes that the police operation is about Loginov and that he is suspected of "repeated violations of doping rules". According to Interfax, Russian diplomats are on their way to Antholz to "help the Russian biathlon".
- We are trying to get clarity on what has happened. I had hoped that we would avoid this kind of news, says Olle Dahlin, chairman of the International Biathlon Association, to TT.
CLIP: Samuelsson about Loginov: "If I were four I would have been cursed"
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