Polish Olympian Fails Drug Test
Polish bobsledder Daniel Zalewski is the seventh athlete from the Sochi Olympics to fail a drug test.
A statement from the Polish Olympic Committee confirmed that Zalewski tested positive for the banned stimulant N-ethyl-1-phenylbutan-2-amine during the four-man bobsled race on February 23. The Polish bobsled team placed 27th.
The World Anti-Doping Agency and the International Bobsleigh Federation will handle further disciplinary action.
Other Olympians who failed their drug tests in Sochi are German biathlete Evi Sachenbacher-Stehle, Italian bobsledder William Frullani, Ukranian cross-country skier Marina Lisogor, Latvian ice hockey player Vitalijs Pavlovs, Austrian cross-country skier Johannes Duerr, and Swedish ice hockey player Nicklas Backstrom.
ANOC Seeks Unity for Olympic Agenda 2020
The Association of National Olympic Committees wants all national Olympic committees to contribute to IOC president Thomas Bach's proposal to modernize the Olympic Movement.
In a letter sent to each NOC, ANOC president Sheikh Ahmad Al Fahad Al-Sabah emphasized the importance of unity with Olympic Agenda 2020.
"It is critical that all the NOCs – large and small – contribute to guarantee that their interests and those of their athletes are well-represented," Al-Sabah said in a statement on Monday.
"The Olympic Agenda 2020 will shape the future development of the Olympic Movement, and so we want to ensure that the collective voice of the NOCs is well heard."
ANOC will present its contributions to the IOC on April 15.
Korean Skating Official Resigns
Jeon Myung-gyu, vice chairman of the Korean Skating Union, resigned Monday due to South Korea's poor performance in Sochi.
"He took the responsibility for the disappointing performance of the Korean team in Sochi,"a Korean official told Reuters Monday.
In Sochi, Koreans won eight medals, compared to fourteen in Vancouver four years earlier.
Part of the decline could be attributed to Viktor Ahn. He won four medals in Turin. However, Ahn, born in South Korea, changed allegiances to Russia. He reportedly switched allegiances due to a row with the KSU.
Ahn won four medals for Team Russia.
Korean Medalists Honored
Three South Korean medalists from theSochi Olympics are being considered for a top South Korean state honor.
Speedskater Lee Sang-hwa, short-track speedskater Park Seung-hi, and figure skater Kim Yu-na are being considered for the Chungryong Medal, Korea’s top sporting merit award.
Lee Sang-hwa won gold in the 500m in Sochi,Park Seung-hi won two golds and a bronze in short-track speedskating at Sochi, and Kim Yu-na won silver in the ladies figure skating.
Polish Cyclist Dies in Accident
Marek Galinski, who represented Poland in four Olympics in the mountain bike event, died on Sunday in a car accident. He was 39.
The Polish Olympic Committee made the announcement in a statement on its website on Monday.
Galinski represented Poland at the Atlanta, Sydney, Athens, and Beijing Olympics. His best finish came in Beijing where he came in 13th.
He coached the Polish women’s cycling team at the London Games in 2012.
Written by Aaron BauerandAndrew Murrell
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