Lawyers for Nicklas Backstrom reached a settlement on Thursday that will allow the Washington Capitals center to keep the silver medal he earned playing for Sweden in the Sochi Olympics last February.
Backstrom was held out of the gold-medal game, a 3-0 loss to Canada, after he tested positive for pseudoephedrine following a quarterfinal victory over Slovenia. He later cited the use of a sinus medication to treat allergies as the reason for the positive test — one that was approved by the team’s medical staff — and was not informed of the suspension until hours before the start of the game against Canada.
According to multiple reports, Backstrom’s defense team negotiated with the International Olympic Committee, the World Anti-Doping Agency and the International Ice Hockey Federation to retain the medal in exchange for a reprimand, clearing him of any intention to cheat.
Backstrom was awarded the silver medal in a ceremony in August after the IOC concluded in an investigation that he hadn’t intended to gain any competitive advantage by using the medication.
“Mr. Backstrom, WADA, the IOC and the IIHF are pleased that this matter has now been concluded and wish to clarify that at no time was Mr. Backstrom’s receipt of his Olympic silver medal at issue in the proceedings,” the Court of Arbitration for Sport, based in Switzerland, announced in a statement.
• Zac Boyer can be reached at zboyer@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.