Sweden and Washington Capitals centre Nicklas Backstrom failed a doping test for a substance found in an allergy medication and was withdrawn from the Gold Medal game at the Sochi Olympics.
“I got the message two hours before the game that something was wrong,” Sweden coach Par Marts said after his team lost 3-0 to Canada in the gold medal game.
Backstrom was listed in the lineups distributed before the game, and forward Daniel Alfredsson said the team was told he wouldn’t play just before it started.
NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said that he did not foresee any NHL discipline for the matter.
