Only athletes can scare IOC ‘old farts’ into beating drug cheats, says Dick Pound

Olympic athletes have been urged to take a stand against drugs after a Russian curler became the first member of their team to fail a doping test at these Games, heaping embarrassment on the International Olympic Committee.

As a result of the state-backed doping system Russia operated at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, supposedly clean athletes had to be invited to compete in PyeongChang by the IOC.

The Olympic Athletes from Russia squad has 168 competitors but doubts have been raised about the process after Alexander Krushelnitksy, the bronze medallist in the mixed curling, tested positive for meldonium.

Russia had hoped a clean record here would persuade the IOC to let them march in Sunday’s closing ceremony under their own flag and in national uniform but that is now in doubt.

Dick Pound, the World Anti-Doping Agency founding president, has previously objected to any Russian presence at the Games, and warned only those at Olympic level could force a change from president Thomas Bach and the IOC.

“The only people that scare these old farts are athletes saying ‘if you won’t clean this up, we’re not going to participate in these events’,” he told Standard Sport. “There are dissenting voices from countries like Britain, Canada, the US and France but not enough.”

The IOC’s athletes’ commission represents the interests of Olympians but Pound argued it is unable to put enough pressure on the governing body.

“The commission has its hands tied,” he said. “Around the time of the Summer Olympics in Rio, it issued a statement being critical [over its handling of Russia] and the IOC landed on them like a ton of bricks, saying that you shouldn’t say this.

“And for a long period of time two of its co-chairs were connected with host bids so you can’t be truly independent. They weren’t going to do anything to poop on their lawns.”

Krushelnitsky has denied any wrongdoing to Russian officials, claiming his drink was spiked at a training camp, and his Court of Arbitration for Sport hearing is expected tomorrow.

Russia coach Sergei Belanov said: “I don’t believe a young man, a clever man would use the same doping which was so big news for two years [after Maria Sharapova tested positive for it]. It’s stupid but he is not stupid.”

The IOC are expected to rule on Saturday whether Russia can march under its own flag at the closing ceremony. It is thought the decision will hinge on Russia’s response to the failed drugs test and also the £15million fine it was given by the IOC in the wake of the initial drugs scandal although it is believed this has been paid.