Kazakhstan says biathletes tested clean after doping raid

ASTANA, Kazakhstan – Kazakhstan’s top sports official says the country’s biathletes passed doping tests following a police raid which seized medical equipment and drugs at the world championships.

Austrian police raided the Kazakh team’s hotel on Thursday after finding an abandoned cardboard box last month containing used medical equipment and team accreditations for major biathlon events. The team was then tested for performance-enhancing drugs.

Kazakhstan Culture and Sports Minister Arystanbek Mukhamediuly tells local news agencies the team has been informed that “our athletes were negative, they were clean.”

Kazakh officials have previously said the team did not use any banned substances but admitted medical equipment was negligently disposed of.

The Kazakh team has been allowed to race at the ongoing world championships following the raid.

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