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Italian police search surging Russian biathlete Loginov HOURS before race
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.
Вот как проходил обыск в машине Александра Логинова. Также следственные действия проводятся в номерах его коллеги Евгения Гараничева и тренера Александра Касперовича Видео: Дмитрий Губерниев pic.twitter.com/Rxe3XiPz5f
— Артем (@A_Yuzhakov) February 22, 2020
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.
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.
Also on rt.com Breaking 12-year curse: Alexander Loginov wins first gold for Russia at 2020 IBU World Championships
Saturday’s schedule of events includes a 4x7.5km relay competition that Loginov is taking part in.
The athlete said the police raid left him “upset.”
“I hope this is not brushed under the rug. I hope something positive comes out of it. I don’t expect official apologies. It upsets me a lot,” he told a Russian sports channel.
Last week, Loginov brought the Russian team its first gold since 2008 by winning the 10km sprint. The Italian leg of the 2020 IBU World Championships concludes on Sunday with a 15km mass start.
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