The International Biathlon Union (IBU) has updated the finishing protocols of the women's relay at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi due to the cancellation of Olga Zaitseva's results by the decision of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Thus, there was a redistribution of the final places of the race, in which initially Zaitseva won silver in a team with Yana Romanova, Olga Vilukhina and Ekaterina Shumilova.
Now Norway has risen to the second position, and the Czech women have become the bronze medalists.
Zaitseva herself called outdated information about the cancellation of her results, since this was announced back in 2020.
“Did you miss me, or what?
Haven't you heard anything about me for a long time?
After the trial, everything was distributed that our medals were being taken away.
There were no other solutions, no one sent me anything else.
I can’t add anything, ”Zaitseva quotes“ Match TV ”.
However, her partner in that relay, Yana Romanova, reacted more emotionally to the news of the cancellation of the results.
The Honored Master of Sports of Russia called this decision a shame and said that the most difficult thing in life is to put up with injustice.
“Olga is one of those who make biathlon so popular in Russia.
Who doesn't know the All-Russian Bunny?
An example of hard work, willpower and kindness.
This is an example of athletic longevity and fair fight.
And ironically, it was she who was accused of violating anti-doping rules.
Shame on everyone whose competence was to understand the situation and make a fair decision.
Injustice will be punished!
Life will put everything in its place.
Yes, yes, Olga, it is.
And you will prove your greatness in another matter, ”Yana wrote in her Instagram account.
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Publication from Yan Romanov (@romashka_yana)
Vancouver 2010 champion Svetlana Sleptsova also joined her words in the comments, and Zaitseva herself thanked her compatriots for their support.
Three-time world champion Ivan Tcherezov also expressed regret over the IOC verdict.
In his opinion, the situation turned out to be ugly in relation to the Russian biathletes, who were exhausted by the constant proceedings over the Games in Sochi, and then they still took away the medals, although seven years have passed since the end of the competition.
The well-known commentator Dmitry Guberniev, in turn, stressed that for him Zaitseva will always be a clean and honest athlete, but the redistribution of seats was to be expected after her appeal was rejected in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
“From the Sochi biathlon medals for women, only Olga Vilukhina's medal remained.
We are no longer prize-winners in the relay, men have also been deprived of medals - so should we send rockets at them?
This is the continuation of everything that was to be expected.
I really hope that the new generation will not use doping!
And I don’t fully believe that Olga Zaitseva used doping, ”the TV presenter“ Sport-Express ”quotes.
The former head coach of the Russian national biathlon team, Anatoly Khovantsev, expressed confidence that the current situation will affect the entire domestic sport, and the cancellation of the results of the Russians will continue in the future.
“Why was the case considered so late?
Such cases can be considered for up to 10 years.
In 2001, six Finnish athletes at the World Championships were disqualified for using EPO, and the investigation lasted about 10 years.
Violating anti-doping rules is a serious offense, ”Khovantsev told Metaratings.
The ex-president of the RBU Vladimir Drachev adheres to a similar position, who was not at all surprised by the annulment of the results of Zaitseva.
“The main goal was not Olga Zaitseva, but a little larger fish.
I think that this is not the end of the symphony, there will be a continuation further.
Where they went, they came to that ”, - summed up the four-time world champion.
Two-time Olympic champion Dmitry Vasiliev, however, believes that after the decision of the IOC, there is no need to panic, but he feels sorry for the athletes who have come under sanctions.
According to him, the cancellation of the results of biathletes may be associated with strained relations between Russia and the West.
“Now there is pressure on Russia on all fronts.
The sports sphere is the most sensitive for the inhabitants of our country.
Sooner or later these scandals will end, but these "specialists" who make such decisions have no arguments left but to openly defame Russia.
At the same time, they openly continue to distribute permits for the use of doping in unlimited quantities.
By such actions, they show who is the boss in the house, ”Vasiliev said.
The expert noted that at the moment Russia was chosen as the main "villain" in all doping cases.
However, he believes that history will put everything in its place, but for now you just need to go through a difficult time for domestic sports.
At the same time, State Duma deputy Vitaly Milonov spoke about the need to defend the honest name of Russians in the courts, otherwise there is a risk of losing all the awards won.
“Whatever the reason, in seven years to make such a decision is a complete tough.
If there were an athlete from the United States, and not from Russia, then nothing would have happened, I am absolutely sure of that, ”summed up Milonov.
In 2017, Zaitseva, Romanova and Vilukhina were disqualified for life by the IOC on charges of violating anti-doping rules at the 2014 Olympic Games.
However, in September 2020, CAS fully acquitted Romanova and Vilukhina, and Zaitseva's appeal was only partially satisfied - Olga's lifelong suspension from the Olympics was canceled, but she was still found guilty of substituting a doping test and using a prohibited substance.
After that, the Russian woman appealed the CAS decision in a Swiss court, the verdict of which is still unknown, although its announcement was expected in the summer or early autumn.
The accusations against domestic athletes were based on the testimony of the former head of the Moscow anti-doping laboratory, Grigory Rodchenkov.
Nevertheless, independent experts recognized the signature of a WADA informant under his alleged testimony as forged.