Thanks to Shawn McBride once again and have a Happy New Year Shawn!!!
The latest from the KHL…..
Response of the KHL to State Prosecutors Findings
in the Death of Alexei Cherepanov
After receiving the results of the investigation into the death of Avangard Omsk player Alexei Cherepanov, the Russian Federal Prosecutor’s Office has decided to send all materials related to the case to the Prosecutor’s Office in Moscow and Omsk regions. Thus, the decision to proceed with criminal prosecutions in this case will be under the jurisdiction of the appropriate law enforcement authorities.
Throughout the entire federal investigation, the KHL has maintained a special committee conducting its own examination of this tragic case. Today, having received the results of the federal investigation’s forensic examination, the League will now proceed to the final stage of analysis of all available materials.
As the federal investigation’s report clearly shows, Alexei Cherepanov, had been suffering from chronic myocarditis for at least a year. This disease should preclude participation in professional sports, such as hockey. Further, kordiamin, a drug used to treat cardiovascular disease and to stimulate the cardiovascular and respiratory systems was found in Cherepanov’s blood.
It was found that Cherepanov had been injected with kordiamin three hours before the start of the match between Vityaz and Avangard on 13 October 2008. This drug is listed among those prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
As a result of these revelations, the KHL Disciplinary Committee today has decided to remove the current doctors of the Avangard hockey club from their role with the team.
Further, the KHL Disciplinary Committee has appealed to KHL President Alexander Medvedev to send a letter to the President of the Board of Trustees of the Avangard club, Leonid Polezhaev, who is also the governor of Omsk region, asking for the suspension of Avangard general manager Anatoly Bardin and team president Konstantin Potapov until the end of investigation.
The KHL Disciplinary Committee will next meet on this matter on 5 January 2009. At that time, it will examine all available materials on this case, including more than 1,000 pages of documents featuring interviews with 30 witnesses and experts. The KHL Disciplinary Committee is to announce further findings on 15 January.
For more information about the KHL, visit www.khl.ru.
