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Lance Armstrong. Ryan Braun. Nadezhda Sergeeva.
The short list of athletes who actively made a spectacle to convince the public of their innocence, only to have said spectacle expose them for frauds. It takes an unparalleled level of sociopath and paranoia to execute such shameless double-dealing.
But Russian bobsled pilot Nadezhda Sergeeva was up to the task. In an interview with the Associated Press earlier this month, the 30-year-old wore a shirt that read plainly “I Don’t Do Doping.” Just weeks later, she failed a doping test.
The Russian Bobsled athlete, Nadezhda Sergeeva, who just got busted for doping… pic.twitter.com/CaTXzJnWVF
— Steve Magness (@stevemagness) February 23, 2018
Sergeeva’s declaration on her shirt came in the wake of the IOC banning Russia’s Olympic federation from PyeongChang over past doping but allowing pre-vetted Russian athletes to compete under the Olympic Athletes From Russia tag.
According to the Chicago Tribune, Sergeeva was one of the 168 Russian athletes who were specifically vetted before the Games by the IOC. She’s now the second Russian athlete (and fourth athlete overall) to fail a doping test at these Olympics. Russian curler was bagged for using the banned substance meldonium.
The AP reports that Sergeeva tested positive for trimetazdine, a medication used for angina sufferers that affects the metabolism and delays the dropping levels of blood supply to the heart associated with exercise.
Alexander Zubkov, the president of the Russian Bobsled Federation, defended his athlete:
“She confirms she took no such medication and the team confirms she was not issued any medication.”
However, Russian delegation leader Stanislav Pozdnyakov told members of the Russian media: “Unfortunately this case speaks to negligence by the athlete. She has let us down.”
Sergeeva won’t be stripped of any medals considering her team wasn’t even close to reaching the podium. Her sled finished 12th in the bobsled competition.
[h/t Chicago Tribune]