Russians Sergey Ustiugov and Anton Shipulin Banned from PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Games

January 24, 2018 – With only two weeks until the Games, top Russian athletes, xc skier Sergey Ustiugov and biathlete Anton Shipulin have been banned from the PyeongChang Olympic Games reports Inside the Games. Viktor Ahn, a South Korean-born Russian speed-skater, with a record six Olympic golds was also banned.

Sergey Ustiugov (RUS) © Nordic Focus

Ustiugov won the Tour de Ski in 2016 and picked up two golds at the 2017 Nordic Worlds while Shipulin won relay bronze at Vancouver 2010, gold at Sochi 2014 and gold at the 2017 Biathlon Worlds. According to the report all three are among 111 athletes excluded by the IOC after the ROC drew up a 500-athlete shortlist for consideration for Pyeongchang 2018 selection. Read more here.

Anton Shipulin (RUS) © Nordic Focus

2 Comments For This Post

1. Svanstein2017, Varese, Italy says:
   January 25th, 2018 at 10:07 am

   outrageous. no grounds for exclusion have been given, both athletes have always tested clean, and hey were not implicated in the Oswald probe.
   Either the International Olympic federation applies a blanket ban for all Russian athletes, or let all those who have tested clean take part. This way all credibility is lost. I will impose my personal boycott of these Olympics, this whole business leaves a very bad taste. using different standards, e.g., allowing Sundby, who was actually convicted of doping, and not these atletes who have never been implicated in doping whatsoever. Discrimination at its worst.

2. xcskier22, Montana, says:
   January 25th, 2018 at 10:00 pm

   Exactly Svanstein. If Ustiugov and Shipulin failed tests, give them a ban, but they haven’t given a positive test, they haven’t had irregular blood values, they train and compete in continental Europe where they are tested REGULARLY by accredited labs, they are coached by foreigners, and their names were not on any ‘list.’ This is a absolute disgrace by the IOC.

   What Skitrax and other N. American media outlets aren’t reporting on is the fact that FIS (Led by Kasper) and the IBU (led by Besseberg) have each sent a letter to the IOC to ask for clarifications on WHY these athletes aren’t allowed to compete in the Olympics. They have gone through the rigorous testing protocols…

   Ustiugov won races left and right last year, his first foray into the World Cup was when he took part in a relay race in February 2011, as an 18 year old, now, 7 years later, he is consistently one of the best in the world. Last year, won the TDS, won 5 medals at the world champs (2 gold) and had countless other podium performances. I am willing to bet top dollar that he was one of the top 3 athletes tested by FIS/WADA last year. No doubt about that. So what’s IOC’s problem?

   I am glad you mentioned Sundby’s name. Here’s a proven doper, caught twice in a span of three weeks in Dec 2014/Jan 2015, but he never got a ban, and is still competing, and will be in Korea. How is that possible??

   Denise Herrman of Germany, failed a doping test in 2007. Where was her ban? Why is she allowed to go Korea? Why allow her to change sports from xc to biathlon? How can we be sure she isn’t doping NOW?

   If anyone has a failed test, no matter their country of origin or who they represent, they should be suspended for two years, at least. Those that have negative tests and have not been implicated in anything, should absolutely be invited to the Olympics.

   I read Kris Freeman’s comments (and others) on Fasterskier and I can’t believe how duped people in the US nordic community are. They’ll believe absolutely anything without fact checking or doing research of their own. Unreal situation with only two weeks to go.

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