Alexander Bolshunov, the Olympic champion in cross‑country skiing, emerged as the Russian athlete who faced the highest number of doping tests in January and February 2024, according to TASS reports. The Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) records show that Bolshunov underwent five tests during these two months. In contrast, his total number of tests in the same period of the prior year stood at three, reflecting a notable increase in scrutiny for the athlete in the opening months of 2024.
In 2024, several other Russian athletes also faced frequent testing. Skier Savely Korostelev, skiers Anastasia Kuleshova and Elizaveta Pantrina, and track and field athlete Konstantin Krylov each endured four tests, illustrating a broader intensification of anti‑doping measures across multiple disciplines within the national program.
Bolshunov’s competitive resume remains outstanding. He claimed the World Cup title twice and took the Tour de Ski crown. At the Beijing Winter Olympics, he collected five medals, including three golds, underscoring his status as a dominant force in the sport during the period.
Following broader sanctions affecting Russian athletes, Bolshunov and others were barred from the final World Cup races and did not participate in the concluding events of the 2021/22 season, finishing in second place in the overall World Cup standings. This sequence reflects the wider limitations imposed on Russian competitors in international events during that timeframe.
During the 2023/24 season Bolshunov continued to post remarkable results, including a streak of 23 consecutive victories in domestic competitions, a run that highlighted his continued domestic dominance and consistency amid shifting international conditions.
In political and regulatory spheres, a former member of the State Duma offered remarks about a new law concerning doping controls, signaling ongoing public and legislative attention to the issue and its implications for athletes and national sports governance.