Russian Olga Klyuchnikova Gets Temporary Suspension After Positive “A” Sample Doping Test

The doping woes for the Russian Federation continue on Thursday, as RUSADA, the country’s anti-doping organization, has announced another temporary suspension for a positive doping test.

Olga Klyuchnikova tested positive at the Russian Championships on May 16th in Moscow in her “A” sample, and has been barred from competition and training with a team while her case is decided. RUSADA did not announce the specific substance for which she tested positive.

The 25-year old Klyuchnikova qualified for the finals of that meet in both the 50 backstroke, where she was 4th in 29.17 (a lifetime best for her), and the 100 back, where she was 8th in 1:03.00. On the 16th, the day of her positive test, she raced the 100 back semi-final.

Klyuchnikova is the second publicized Russian currently on temporary suspension (after Yulia Efimova just came off of it when learning of her permanent fate). There has still not been an announced resolution to the temporary of suspension given to Sergey Makov by FINA in January, nor of that given to Vitaly Melnikov in March.

Klyuchnikova’s fate is not yet determined, but with another positive test, Russian swimming’s numbers of doping cases over the last two years continue to climb. There were no-fewer-than 8 positive tests for Russian swimmers in 2013.

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beachmouse
10 years ago

As others have mentioned, in track & field, the Russians are second only to the Turks and ahead of even the Americans when it comes to having a reputation for serious doping in that sport. My hypothesis is that the Russian swimmers are getting the drugs not from their federation, which seems to have a history of being reasonably clean, but from sports medicine professionals offering to ‘help’ swimmers like they’ve helped Russian distance runners.

Didn’t one of the Daria Ustinovas get a suspended sentence not just because of her young age but because someone in her circle was willing to work with the Russian swim federation to name some names?

Rafael
Reply to  beachmouse
10 years ago

She did… not the backstroker, but the “not so good” one..

Is Russia case something on the lines of USTF on the past? Maybe not with the federation.. but a Balco like company behind all?

Philip Johnson
10 years ago

I don’t want to accuse all of Russia’s swimmers because of their recent positives, but you can’t help but raise an eyebrow at all their phenomenal talent rising up. Maybe it’s just coincidence though.

Sven
10 years ago

The more viable a pro career is in this sport, the more we’re going to see individuals and coaches making these decisions. Still, either Russian swimmers are collectively way ahead of the curve, or there’s a very serious problem within the swimming federation that is causing all of this.

ThatSwimKid
10 years ago

I do not mean to discriminate against a nation, but it seems like Russia fails more drug tests than all other countries combined. Is this being noticed on a higher scale? Such as Fina?

ERVINFORTHEWIN
Reply to  ThatSwimKid
10 years ago

thanks for observing the same thing i was about to share here …. Russia seems to have loads of these doping cases ; and all that just within one year or so !!! Weird weird weirdo

Rafael
Reply to  ERVINFORTHEWIN
10 years ago

Kazan Effect..

Russia Track and Field alone have more doping now than the whole rest of the world for sure..

beachmouse
Reply to  Rafael
10 years ago

The Turks have managed to be worse than the Russians in terms of doping in track & field. Right before the 2018 Olympics were awarded, 31 Turkish athletes got busted and the Games went to Tokyo as track fans were calling for the IAAF to suspend Turkey’s membership in the international federation for such a lack of institutional control.

Luigi
Reply to  ThatSwimKid
10 years ago

Yet I can’t help noticing that it was their national anti-doping organization that caught her

PsychoDad
Reply to  Luigi
10 years ago

That does not mean anything! Knowing how things work in Eastern Europe, that only means that only those who do not have connections and cannot pay someone off get caught – the rest are still swimming.

ThatSwimKid
Reply to  Braden Keith
10 years ago

I agree completely Braden, too many loopholes and not enough power to enforce. I am sure the “dopers” who do not get caught cannot accept their medals with as much pride.

Pvdh
10 years ago

I’m honestly expecting that vlad will test positive.

Mohsin
Reply to  Pvdh
10 years ago

I would honestly be so bummed if it happens to Morozov. I’m certain this guy will get at least a silver in both his events in Rio, so I really hope he’s not caught in all this controversy.

Dan
Reply to  Pvdh
10 years ago

I believe Vlad is clean, because he got very fast at a young age. You could see his success coming for a while. Maybe I am naive, but I have a hard time believing that 15-16 year olds are doping.

mcgillrocks
Reply to  Dan
10 years ago

I’m sure the prevalence goes down markedly as the swimmers are less than 18, but it would be stupid to think that no one does it. Many under-18 Russians have been implicated in the past two years.

Philip Johnson
Reply to  Pvdh
10 years ago

I want Vlad to be clean, but man he’s been dropping some serious time ever since he joined the Russian Federation. And it coincided with other Russian swimmers as well like Izotov.

Philip Johnson
Reply to  Philip Johnson
10 years ago

To be fair with Vlad, before he joined the Russian Federation, he was on that downward trajectory nonetheless. But it really took off when he joined Russia.

bobo gigi
10 years ago

😆

ERVINFORTHEWIN
Reply to  bobo gigi
10 years ago

+1

Rafael
10 years ago

There was one more swimmger who got caught of Russian..

Vitaly Melnikov on March

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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