Russian water polo player Ivan Suchkov has been suspended for 1 year by RUSADA, the Russian Anti-Doping Agency, for a doping violation.
Details from the organization were thin, but Suchkov’s suspension was back-dated to June 2nd, 2015. The one year suspension indicates that there was some mitigating evidence to reduce his suspension from the 4 years allowed for on a first offense by the World Anti-Doping Code.
The 20-year old Suchkov was a member of Russia’s team at the 2014 European Aquatics Championships that went a disappointing 1-4 in group play and failed to advance to the knockout stages. They officially placed 11th overall in the men’s standings.
Suchkov, who was the youngest member of that Russian team, played significant minutes and scored 4 goals during the tournament.
The suspension was announced last week, within days of a report by the World Anti-Doping Association (WADA) that Russian athletes have been involved in systematic doping sponsored by officials at high levels of government. While those accusations have been primarily and specifically centered around Russia’s athletics (track & field), where 5 athletes were suspended last week as well, its swimming program has had a recent run of high-profile suspensions: including one of Yulia Efimova that cost her two World Records.
