The governing body of international ice hockey on Friday suspended Russian player Evgeny Kuznetsov for four years for testing positive for cocaine during anti-doping controls. The 27-year-old who plays for the Washington Capitals in the United States as well as the Russian national team, was tested in May at the ice hockey world championships in Slovakia where Russia won bronze.

The Switzerland-based International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) said in a statement that a "prohibited substance, cocaine" was found during testing. It added that Kuznetsov did not demand testing of a second "B sample". Kuznetsov said in a statement released by the Washington Capitals that "I have made the decision to accept this penalty" and added that "I feel absolutely terrible for letting you down". Kuznetsov was provisionally suspended in June and the ban will run to June 13 2023. The ban does not prevent Kuznetsov from playing in the NHL.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2019