Alexander Bessmertnykh (skier)

Alexander Andreyevich Bessmertnykh (Russian: Александр Андреевич Бессмертных, born 15 September 1986) is a Russian cross-country skier.[1] In December 2017, he was one of eleven Russian athletes who were banned for life from the Olympics by the International Olympic Committee, as a result of doping offences at the 2014 Winter Olympics.[2]

Alexander Bessmertnykh
Bessmertnykh in February, 2019
Country Russia
Full nameAlexander Andreyevich Bessmertnykh
Born (1986-09-15) 15 September 1986 (age 37)
Beryozovsky, Kemerovo Oblast, Soviet Union
Height1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
World Cup career
Seasons12 – (2009, 20112020, 2022)
Starts141
Podiums6
Wins0
Overall titles0 – (15th in 2017)
Discipline titles0
Medal record
Men's cross-country skiing
Representing  Russia
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 2014 Sochi 4 × 10 km relay
World Championships
Silver medal – second place 2017 Lahti 4 × 10 km relay
Silver medal – second place 2019 Seefeld 15 km classical
Silver medal – second place 2019 Seefeld 4 × 10 km relay
U23 World Championships
Silver medal – second place 2009 Praz de Lys-Sommand 30 km skiathlon
Bronze medal – third place 2009 Praz de Lys-Sommand 15 km freestyle
Updated on 23 March 2022.
Alexander Bessmertnykh on the podium in 2019.

Career edit

He represented Russia at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. On 16 February he ran the second (classical) leg in the men's team relay, together with his teammates Dmitry Yaparov, Alexander Legkov, and Maxim Vylegzhanin, and originally won a silver medal.[3] In December 2017, he was one of eleven Russian athletes who were banned for life from the Olympics by the International Olympic Committee, after doping offences at the 2014 Winter Olympics. Bessmertnykh's results from the 2014 Winter Olympics were annulled.[4] On 1 February 2018, their results were restored as a result of the successful appeal.[5]

Cross-country skiing results edit

All results are sourced from the International Ski Federation (FIS).[1]

Olympic Games edit

  • 1 medal – (1 silver)
 Year   Age   15 km 
 individual 
 30 km 
 skiathlon 
 50 km 
 mass start 
 Sprint   4 × 10 km 
 relay 
 Team 
 sprint 
2014 27 7 Silver

World Championships edit

  • 3 medals – (3 silver)
 Year   Age   15 km 
 individual 
 30 km 
 skiathlon 
 50 km 
 mass start 
 Sprint   4 × 10 km 
 relay 
 Team 
 sprint 
2013 26 23
2015 28 10 4
2017 30 4 17 Silver
2019 32 Silver Silver

World Cup edit

Season standings edit

 Season   Age  Discipline standings Ski Tour standings
Overall Distance Sprint Nordic
Opening
Tour de
Ski
Ski Tour
2020
World Cup
Final
Ski Tour
Canada
2009 22 178 112
2011 24 70 47 NC 25
2012 25 55 39 95 45 25
2013 26 30 17 NC 20 44
2014 27 49 37 79 10 36
2015 28 28 20 NC 61 18
2016 29 19 18 69 29 24 13
2017 30 15 11 62 28 13 14
2018 31 37 27 NC 22 21
2019 32 46 27 NC 33
2020 33 60 40
2022[note 1] 35 157 95

Individual podiums edit

  • 6 podiums – (5 WC, 1 SWC)
No. Season Date Location Race Level Place
1 2012–13 19 January 2013   La Clusaz, France 15 km Mass Start C World Cup 2nd
2 2015–16 20 December 2015   Toblach, Italy 15 km Individual C World Cup 2nd
3 13 February 2016   Falun, Sweden 10 km Individual C World Cup 2nd
4 2016–17 11 March 2017   Oslo, Norway 50 km Mass Start C World Cup 3rd
5 18 March 2017   Quebec City, Canada 15 km Mass Start C Stage World Cup 3rd
6 2018–19 17 February 2019   Cogne, Italy 15 km Individual C World Cup 3rd

Team podiums edit

  • 2 victories – (2 RL)
  • 3 podiums – (3 RL)
No. Season Date Location Race Level Place Teammates
1 2013–14 8 December 2013   Lillehammer, Norway 4 × 7.5 km Relay C/F World Cup 1st Yaparov / Legkov / Vylegzhanin
2 2018–19 27 January 2019   Ulricehamn, Sweden 4 × 7.5 km Relay C/F World Cup 1st Belov / Spitsov / Maltsev
3 2019–20 1 March 2020   Lahti, Finland 4 × 7.5 km Relay C/F World Cup 3rd Semikov / Spitsov / Melnichenko

Notes edit

  1. ^ On 1 March 2022, following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, FIS decided to not allow athletes from Russian and Belarus to take part in FIS competitions, with an immediate effect.[6]

References edit

  1. ^ a b Alexander Bessmertnykh at the International Ski and Snowboard Federation
  2. ^ "Russian doping: IOC bans 11 Winter Olympic athletes". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  3. ^ "Men's Relay 4x10 km". Sochi 2014 Olympics. Organizing Committee of the XXII Olympic Winter Games and XI Paralympic Winter Games of 2014 in Sochi. Archived from the original on 24 July 2014. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
  4. ^ "IOC bans 11 Russian winter athletes for life for Sochi 2014 doping". Reuters. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  5. ^ "The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) delivers its decisions in the matter of 39 Russian athletes v/the IOC: 28 appeals upheld, 11 partially upheld" (PDF). Court of Arbitration for Sport. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  6. ^ "Russian and Belarusian Athletes not to take part in FIS Competitions". FIS. 1 March 2022.

External links edit