Alexander Loginov, who broke a 12-year losing streak for Russian male biathletes by winning gold at the IBU World Championships, has been subjected to a search by Italian police hours before a Saturday event.
The search warrant served by police in Rasen-Antholz in South Tyrol, Italy where the competition is taking place targets Loginov and Russian team coach Alexander Kasperovich.
Loginov told media that the investigators are acting on a tip from an official from the International Biathlon Union. His phone and laptop were seized during the search.
Police said the raid was part of an investigation into the possible use of doping. The Bolzano prosecutor’s office, which issued the search warrant, refused to comment on the case.
Loginov tested positive for a banned substance in 2013 and was later barred from competing. The punishment period ended in 2016. In 2018 the Russian biathlon team was investigated by the Austrian police for alleged doping violations, but all charges were eventually dropped.
People on the Russian team see the morning raid as a form of harassment.
“It’s a show, as usual. They came early in the morning, rattled the entire team. And they did it ahead of the relay,” Vladimir Drachev, the president of the Russian biathlon union, said.
