Russia officially protested to Italy after the police operation targeting biathlete Alexander Loginov in February during the World Cups in Anterselva, Russian diplomacy spokeswoman announced Friday. In the heart of the competition, the Italian police had searched the hotel which housed the Russian team because of suspicions of doping targeting the sulfurous Loginov and his trainer.
The day after this operation, Alexander Loginov, 28, had forfeited the last race of the World Championships, his Federation indicating that he was not "in psychological condition" to participate. "An official protest note has been given to the Italian side," said Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, on Friday.
Search at the Hotel des Russians, Loginov in the police sight via @ 20minutesSport https://t.co/LpqsPAd7yq
- 20 Minutes Sport (@ 20minutesSport) February 22, 2020Deeming the search "inadmissible and disproportionate", Russia regretted "the negative impact of this incident on the development of sports cooperation between our two countries," she added. The search was unsuccessful.
Alexander Loginov served a two-year suspension for doping at EPO between 2014 and 2016 and his title of world sprint champion in Anterselva, where he also won the bronze medal in pursuit, had gnashed teeth among biathletes.
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