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SPORTS Saturday 24 February 2018
Russians finally celebrate gold

at Olympics after scandals

By JAMES ELLINGWORTH Asked about whether she gitova, her friend and train-
AP Sports Writer would be sad not to hear ing partner.
GANGNEUNG, South Korea the Russian anthem play, It was Medvedeva who
(AP) — After two weeks of Zagitova avoided the issue. was chosen by Russian
Olympic competition, the "Can I not answer that sports officials to make their
"Olympic Athletes from question?" she said. case to the IOC in Decem-
Russia" finally have a gold The Russian medal count at ber, when a blanket ban on
medal. the Pyeongchang Games Russia was possible. When
Alina Zagitova won the has been low because of she skated Friday, she was
women's figure skating the IOC vetting process, introduced as an “Olym-
title Friday to become the bad luck, and — once pic Athlete from Russia” as
first Russian to win a Win- again — doping. Curler Al- Russian fans cheered and
ter Olympic event since exander Krushelnitsky and waved the tricolor she’s for-
the doping-hit 2014 Sochi his wife, Anastasia Bryzga- bidden to wear.
Games. lova, won bronze in mixed Asked how a Russian 1-2
"I was trying with all my doubles, but gave up the finish feels without her
strength to ignore it but I medal Thursday after Krush- country’s flag, Medvede-
couldn't," Zagitova said of elnitsky failed a doping test. va asked for a moment to
Russia's lack of gold. "I was Russia sent 168 athletes to think before replying. Gold medalist Alina Zagitova, right, of the Olympic Athletes of
really worried because I South Korea, making it one “People know who we Russia poses for a photo with compatriot and silver medalist Ev-
genia Medvedeva, left, at the women's free figure skating fi-
knew I didn't have the right of the largest teams at the are,” she said, “and the nal in the Gangneung Ice Arena at the 2018 Winter Olympics in
to make a mistake. I had to games. However, the team spectators in the stands Gangneung, South Korea, Friday, Feb. 23, 2018.
skate clean and show my didn't contain some top showed it today.”q Associated Press
maximum, but I'm so happy athletes, including world
I could." cross-country ski cham-
The Russians have one pion Sergei Ustyugov and
gold, five silver and eight short-track speedskater
bronze medals at the Py- Viktor Ahn. The IOC said it
eongchang Games as of couldn't be confident they
Friday, putting them behind were clean. On the day of
Belarus and Italy on gold the opening ceremony, it
medals (the key measure won a key legal battle up-
used in Russia), and behind holding that argument.
France on total medals. Still, Russian officials could
For a traditional winter have sent more athletes in
sports superpower that some events but chose not
prided itself on topping the to. According to the Court
Sochi medals table — even of Arbitration for Sport, Rus-
if many athletes were later sia chose to leave 40 quota
accused of doping — the places unfilled rather than
wait for gold has been un- send athletes who weren’t
familiar and unpleasant. first choice, which meant
Zagitova, who was only 11 it didn’t have enough in
during the Sochi Olympics some sports simply to enter
and has never been sus- the relays.
pected of doping, didn't Another issue is that Russia’s
hear the Russian national Winter Olympians com-
anthem at her medal cere- peted in Sochi with lavish
mony. Instead, the Olympic funding from the govern-
anthem was played and ment. With the country’s
the Olympic flag flew be- moment in the Olympic
cause Russia is officially sus- spotlight over, sports like bi-
pended from the games. athlon and bobsled have
The International Olympic struggled for money.
Committee instead invited There’s also been a wave
some from the country to of infighting in some events
compete in neutral uni- like luge, where one Russian
forms, which is why Zagito- was sent home after miss-
va accepted her medal in ing the podium and accus-
a muted gray coat with the ing team staff of favoritism
inscription "Olympic Athlete toward his main domestic
from Russia." rival. Injuries played a role in
To many Russian fans, that some sports, and in others
status is degrading. To the Russians simply weren’t
many of Russia's critics over good enough for gold.
doping, it's a symbolic pun- It was a long path to the
ishment for a country which games for Evgenia Med-
should have been banned vedeva, who won silver in
entirely. figure skating alongside Za-