Author: International Paralympic Committee (IPC)
Published: 2025/03/27
Publication Type: Announcement
Topic: 2014 Sochi Paralympics – Publications List
Page Content: Synopsis – Introduction – Main – Insights, Updates
Synopsis: IPC tribunal upholds anti-doping violation for Russian Para athlete Nikolay Polukhin from Sochi 2014, resulting in disqualification and medal forfeiture.
Why it matters: This report details the decision of the International Paralympic Committee’s (IPC) Independent Anti-Doping Tribunal to uphold an anti-doping rule violation against Russian Para cross-country and biathlon athlete Nikolay Polukhin for sample swapping during the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games. Based on extensive forensic and scientific analysis, the tribunal confirmed that Polukhin’s urine sample was tampered with as part of Russia’s state-sponsored doping scheme, leading to the disqualification of his gold and silver medals. The report underscores the complexities of investigating anti-doping violations when direct positive samples are unavailable, providing insight into the rigorous methods used to uncover deception in elite sports. It is a significant case for those invested in clean competition, ethical sportsmanship, and the protection of integrity in Paralympic events, particularly for athletes with disabilities who rely on fair play in sport – Disabled World (DW).
Introduction
Independent Tribunal upholds violation arising from sample swapping during the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games as part of the state-sponsored doping scheme that existed in Russia at that time.
Main Item
The International Paralympic Committee’s (IPC) Independent Anti-Doping Tribunal has found Para cross country and Para biathlon athlete Nikolay Polukhin committed an anti-doping rule violation at the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games, and his individual results from the event (including one gold and two silver medals) have been disqualified.
The charges arose from investigations by the IPC into evidence provided by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in relation to the state-sponsored doping program in Russian sport between (at least) 2012 and 2015. During that time period, the Moscow and Sochi laboratories utilized a ‘Disappearing Positive Methodology’ to conceal presumptive adverse analytical findings and, at the Sochi 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, swapped out ‘dirty’ urine samples for ‘clean’ urine obtained from athletes for that purpose.
On 7 March 2023, the IPC charged the athlete with Use of a Prohibited Method (specifically, tampering by way of urine substitution) in breach of Article 2.2 of the 2011 IPC Anti-Doping Code. The athlete admitted using trimetazidine (TMZ) out-of-competition in February 2014 (which was permitted at that time) but denied knowledge of or participation in any sample swapping in March 2014. A hearing was held before the IPC’s Independent Anti-Doping Tribunal. Based on the detailed scientific and fact evidence presented by the IPC, the Independent Tribunal found:
In 2014 a state-sponsored doping scheme existed in Russia, but the Sochi laboratory was not expecting to have to swap samples for the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games (as it had done for the Olympic Winter Games Sochi 2014). Therefore, the Sochi laboratory did not possess a clean urine bank for Russian Paralympic athletes (as it had for Russian Olympic athletes).
During the Paralympic Winter Games, the Sochi laboratory detected presumptive adverse analytical findings for TMZ in the samples of several Russian Para cross-country skiers and biathletes (including the athlete). Analysis of the samples was stopped, and the samples were reported negative in the Anti-Doping Administration and Management System (ADAMS).
However, because the samples would be placed in long term storage for possible reanalysis, the Russian authorities knew there was a risk that if the samples were later reanalyzed, the TMZ findings and the cover up would be discovered. To eliminate that risk, the ‘dirty’ urine inside the sample bottles was thrown away and replaced with ‘clean’ urine.
In the athlete’s case, forensic analysis of the sample bottle showed scratches and marks and a urine residue tooth mark that could only have been caused by someone closing, then re-opening, then reclosing the sample bottle. Analysis conducted in 2018 of the urine in the bottle at that time demonstrated that the composition of the urine had changed since the 2014 analysis by the Sochi laboratory. DNA analysis confirmed that the urine swapped into the bottle was a DNA match for the athlete.
According to the Independent Tribunal there was ‘no other reason’ to re-open the sample bottles ‘other than to swap the urine’ and the athlete must have ‘actively cooperated in the provision of clean urine to the Russian authorities for the purpose of Sample swapping’ to facilitate that. The athlete did not provide ‘any logical or plausible explanation’ for the evidence of sample swapping with his urine, and ‘there is simply no other logical explanation’.
The Independent Tribunal upheld the anti-doping violation charge. As the violation arose during Games-time, the rules required the Independent Tribunal to determine the consequences of the violation in relation to the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games only. All other consequences for the violation (including the applicable period of ineligibility) will be determined in due course by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) and the International Biathlon Union (IBU).
The Independent Tribunal found that the athlete’s conduct during the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games was ‘particularly egregious’ and ‘significantly undermined the integrity of the event’. In accordance with 2011 IPC Anti-Doping Code Articles 9 and 10.1, the Independent Tribunal disqualified all of the athlete’s individual results from Sochi 2014. As a result, the athlete will forfeit his gold medal from the Men’s Para biathlon 15km Visually Impaired competition, his silver medal from the Men’s Para biathlon 7.5km Visually Impaired competition, and his silver medal in the Men’s Para biathlon 12.5km Visually Impaired competition.
The athlete initially filed an appeal against the decision with the Court of Arbitration for Sport, but the appeal was deemed withdrawn in March 2025 after the athlete failed to pay the advance of costs.
Jude Ellis, the IPC’s Head of Anti-Doping, said:
“After the publication of the 2016 McLaren Report into state sponsored doping in Russia, the IPC investigated several highly complex cases related to Russian athletes who competed at the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games.”
“Due to the extremely unique nature of these cases – with no positive samples available to call upon as is usual in anti-doping cases – gathering sufficient scientific and factual evidence to meet the threshold to charge an athlete with an anti-doping violation has been difficult.”
“Following analysis of a huge amount of data obtained through WADA investigations, Nikolay Polukhin’s case met the evidential threshold to charge the athlete with an anti-doping rule violation. The resolution of this case draws a line under what has been a long running process into potential anti-doping rule violations by Russian athletes at the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games.”
“The IPC is grateful to WADA for the support received during this long process.”
In addition to Polukhin’s case, based on evidence provided by WADA in relation to Russia’s state-sponsored doping program, the IPC suspended Russian Para swimmer Aleksey Lyzhikhin for a period of two years in June 2024, while the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) has also charged several Russian Para athletes.
As a signatory of the World Anti-Doping Code (WADC), the IPC remains committed to a doping-free sporting environment at all levels. The IPC has established the IPC Anti-Doping Code in compliance with the general principles of the WADC, including the WADC International Standards, expecting that, in the spirit of sport, it will lead the fight against doping in sport for athletes with an impairment.
Editorial Note: The IPC’s commitment to investigating and addressing complex doping cases, even years after the events, demonstrates the organization’s dedication to fair competition and clean sport. This case serves as a reminder of the long-lasting consequences of doping and the importance of maintaining vigilance in anti-doping efforts. The report’s detailed explanation of the evidence and decision-making process provides transparency and reinforces the credibility of anti-doping measures in Paralympic sports. While it took years of investigation and forensic scrutiny to establish the violation, the outcome reaffirms the necessity of relentless anti-doping efforts to preserve the integrity of competition. The IPC’s commitment to accountability ensures that even highly sophisticated doping schemes cannot go unpunished, setting a precedent for future enforcement in Paralympic and Olympic sports – Disabled World (DW).
Attribution/Source(s): This quality-reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and published on 2025/03/27, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity. For further details or clarifications, International Paralympic Committee (IPC) can be contacted at paralympic.org NOTE: Disabled World does not provide any warranties or endorsements related to this article.
