Kazakhstan makes ‘zero tolerance' pledge amid search of biathlon team's premises in Italy

ASTANA. KAZINFORM - Italian police have not found prohibited substances at the accommodation premises of the national biathlon team of Kazakhstan in Antholz, Italy, a source at the Ministry of Culture and Sport of the Republic of Kazakhstan confirmed.

It is to be recalled that the entire Kazakh national biathlon team fought for medals at the 6th IBU World Cup in Antholz.

In response to the reports that popped up in mass media about the search that had been staged at the Kazakh team's premises [in Antholz], the Committee reiterated that ‘Kazakhstani biathletes are clean'.

"The Committee is committed to the policy of zero tolerance towards doping," Ms Raukhan Tugumbayeva, spokesperson of the Sport and Physical Culture Committee of Kazakhstan's Ministry of Culture and Sport, said.

The Committee also claimed the Italian policy had followed all necessary procedures during the search and had not found any prohibited substances at the accommodation premises.

According to Tugumbayeva, the Italian police drew up a record of the search in which they stated they had no claims against Kazakhstan's national team.

"The International Biathlon Union (IBU) has officially informed the Kazakhstan Biathlon Union it launches a formal proceeding before the Anti-Doping Hearing following the results of the search," Ms Tugumbayeva added.