The Norwegian curling team that finished fourth in mixed doubles in the Winter Olympics want a medal ceremony after being “robbed” by the Russian team that beat them.
Norway’s team of Kristin Skaslien and Magnus Nedregotten lost the bronze medal match to the Olympic Athlete from Russia team of Anastasia Bryzgalova and Aleksandr Krushelnitskiy 8-4 at the Gangneung Curling Centre last week. Things changed though after Krushelnitskiy tested positive for banned substance meldonium.
If the Russian team gets stripped of its bronze medal, Nedregotten says he would want to have a medal ceremony before the Games end.
“Knowing that they may have had an advantage against us in our games through cheating feels horrible,” he said, via The Guardian “If he is found guilty, then they’ve robbed us of our moment of glory, receiving our medal in the stadium. That’s not cool. That’s hard to accept, feeling that you’ve been kept out of the light.
“Obviously he is not guilty before he is convicted. But it is confirmed, the preferred option for us would be to receive the bronze medal at some point during the remainder of the Olympics.”
Many have found it humorous that someone would be caught using a banned substance in curling because they wonder how it helps. But Nedregotten believes the substance can help players stay mentally acute and help them recover in between matches. He says sweepers can get sore in between matches, and with a crammed schedule, that could make a big difference.
Our guess is the matter won’t be sorted out in time for Nedregotten to receive his moment of glory, but in time he may receive a medal.
