{{Short description|Russian bobsledder (born 1974)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}} {{Infobox sportsperson | name = Alexandr Zubkov | image = Alexandr Zubkov.jpg | caption = Alexandr Zubkov at the 2014 Olympics | nationality = Russian | collegeteam = | fullname = Alexandr Yuryevich Zubkov | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1974|8|10}} | birth_place = Bratsk, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union | height = 1.87 m | weight = 100 kg | website = | country = {{RUS}} | sport = 25px|alt=|link= Bobsleigh (pilot) | event = | club = | turnedpro = 1999 | coach = | retired = | olympics = 25px|alt=|link= {{silver2}}{{bronze3}} | highestranking = | pb = | medaltemplates = {{MedalCountry|{{RUS}}}} {{MedalOlympic}} {{Medal|Disqualified|2014 Sochi|Two-man}} {{Medal|Disqualified|2014 Sochi|Four-man}} {{MedalSilver|2006 Turin|Four-man}} {{MedalBronze|2010 Vancouver|Two-man}} {{MedalCompetition|World Championships}} {{MedalGold|2011 Königssee|Two-man}} {{MedalSilver|2005 Calgary|Four-man}} {{MedalSilver|2008 Altenberg|Four-man}} {{MedalSilver|2013 St. Moritz|Four-man}} {{MedalBronze|2003 Lake Placid|Four-man}} {{MedalBronze|2008 Altenberg|Two-man}} {{MedalCompetition|World Cup Championships}} {{MedalGold|2004–05|Four-man}} {{MedalGold|2005–06|Four-man}} {{MedalGold|2008–09|Combined}} {{MedalGold|2008–09|Four-man}} {{MedalGold|2010–11|Two-man}} {{MedalGold|2011–12|Four-man}} {{MedalGold|2012–13|Four-man}} {{MedalSilver|2003–04|Four-man}} {{MedalSilver|2004–05|Combined}} {{MedalSilver|2005–06|Combined}} {{MedalSilver|2005–06|Two-man}} {{MedalSilver|2007–08|Combined}} {{MedalSilver|2007–08|Four-man}} {{MedalSilver|2010–11|Combined}} {{MedalSilver|2011–12|Combined}} {{MedalSilver|2012–13|Combined}} {{MedalBronze|2004–05|Two-man}} {{MedalBronze|2007–08|Two-man}} {{MedalBronze|2010–11|Four-man}} {{MedalBronze|2011–12|Two-man}} }}
'''Alexandr Yuryevich Zubkov''' ({{langx|ru|Александр Юрьевич Зубков}}; born 10 August 1974) is a Russian retired bobsledder who has competed since 1999. Competing in four Winter Olympics, he won two medals with a silver in 2006 (four-man) and a bronze in 2010 (two-man).<ref name=sr>[https://web.archive.org/web/20200417074300/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/zu/aleksandr-zubkov-1.html Aleksandr Zubkov]. Sports-Reference.com</ref> On 24 November 2017, he was found guilty of doping offences and stripped of his medals from the 2014 Winter Olympics.
== Career == [[File:Vladimir Putin and Aleksandr Zubkov 24 February 2014.jpeg|thumb|left|Zubkov with President Vladimir Putin at the award ceremonies for Russian athletes, 24 February 2014]]Zubkov also won four medals at the FIBT World Championships with two silvers (Four-man: 2005, 2008) and two bronzes (Two-man: 2008, Four-man: 2003). He won the Bobsleigh World Cup in the four-man event three times as well (2004–5, 2005–6, 2008–9).
Prior to competing in bobsleigh, he competed in luge. Zubkov finished 20th in the men's singles event at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano.
=== 2014 Winter Olympics === In 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, he was the flag bearer of Russia for the Opening Ceremony. Zubkov won Gold in both Two-Man and Four-Man Bobsleigh.
In the 2014 Sochi Olympics, Zubkov was coached by a former rival, Canadian Pierre Lueders.<ref>Eric Reguly (19 February 2014) [https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/olympics/how-canadian-leuders-helped-put-russian-bobsleigh-team-on-right-track/article16987395/ "How Canadian Lueders helped put Russian bobsleigh team on right track"]. ''The Globe and Mail''.</ref> Zubkov also paid a fee to borrow personal skids from the 2011 World Champion, Germany's Manuel Machata. Machata bought the skids for €29,000 in Switzerland, and had not qualified for the 2014 Winter Olympics. The 2014 Olympics saw Germany failing to win a bobsleigh medal at an Olympics for the first time since Innsbruck 1964. Machata did not inform German Bobsleigh Luge and Skeleton Federation of this loan and received a one-year competitive ban and fine of €5,000 (250,000 rubles) from the German Federation.<ref>Nick Butler (3 March 2014) [http://www.insidethegames.biz/sports/winter/bobsleigh/1018680-german-banned-for-loaning-bobsled-to-double-gold-medal-winning-russian-rival-zubkov "German banned for loaning bobsled to double gold medal winning Russian rival Zubkov"]. ''insidethegames.biz''.</ref><ref>Anno Hecker (14 February 2014) [https://www.faz.net/aktuell/sport/olympische-winterspiele/eissport/landesverrat-im-viererbob-russisches-gold-mit-deutschen-kufen-12818631.html Russisches Gold mit deutschen Kufen], ''Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung''.</ref><ref>[https://www.faz.net/aktuell/sport/wintersport/kufen-handel-mit-den-russen-sperre-und-geldstrafe-fuer-machata-12829574.html Sperre und Geldstrafe für Machata], ''Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung'', 3 March 2014.</ref><ref name=olympiawuerdig>Christoph Becker (17 February 2014) [https://www.faz.net/aktuell/sport/olympische-winterspiele/eissport/zweierbob-in-sotschi-kein-olympiawuerdiger-schlitten-12806929.html Kein „olympiawürdiger“ Schlitten]. ''Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung''.</ref>
After the 2014 Olympics, Zubkov received the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" award 4th class with Russian President Vladimir Putin handing the state awards.<ref name=OMF2014>{{cite news|url=http://en.itar-tass.com/sochi-2014-winter-olympics-and-paralympics/720678 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140305142408/http://en.itar-tass.com/sochi-2014-winter-olympics-and-paralympics/720678 |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 March 2014 |title=Russia's Olympic athletes receive state awards |agency=Information Telegraph Agency of Russia |date=24 February 2014 }}</ref>
In October 2014 Zubkov announced his retirement from the sport due to a long-term injury which prevented him from competing at the start of the 2014–15 season.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2014/10/22/russian-olympic-bobsled-champ-zubkov-retires/17709769/ |title=Russian Olympic bobsled champ Zubkov retires |author =<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=22 October 2014 |website=usatoday.com|access-date=20 December 2014}}</ref>
In May 2016, Zubkov was named in a New York Times investigation of the state-sponsored steroid program in Russia.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/13/sports/russia-doping-sochi-olympics-2014.html?smid=tw-nytsports&smtyp=cur | title=Russian Insider Says State-Run Doping Fueled Olympic Gold | work=New York Times| date=12 May 2016 | access-date=13 May 2016 |author1=Ruiz, Rebecca |author2=Schwirtz, Michael }}</ref> On 24 November 2017, he was found guilty of doping offenses by the International Olympic Committee and stripped of his medals from the 2014 Winter Olympics.<ref>[https://stillmed.olympic.org/media/Document%20Library/OlympicOrg/IOC/Who-We-Are/Commissions/Disciplinary-Commission/2017/SML-028-Disciplinary-Commission-Decision-Aleksandr-ZUBKOV.pdf#_ga=2.64360495.1450016167.1511540161-1668388724.1484259175 Disciplinary commission decision. Aleksandr Zubkov] stillmed.olympic.org</ref> On 1 February 2018, following a Russian appeal, the CAS removed the sanctions from Alexey Negodaylo and Dmitry Trunenkov in bobsleigh, but upheld them on their teammates Alexandr Zubkov and Alexey Voyevoda.<ref>{{cite web |title=MEDIA RELEASE ANTI-DOPING – SOCHI 2014 THE COURT OF ARBITRATION FOR SPORT (CAS) DELIVERS ITS DECISIONS IN THE MATTER OF 39 RUSSIAN ATHLETES V/ THE IOC: 28 APPEALS UPHELD, 11 PARTIALLY UPHELD |url=https://www.tas-cas.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Media_Release__decision_RUS_IOC_.pdf |website=Court of Arbitration for Sport |access-date=22 May 2023}}</ref> In 2018, Zubkov appealed this decision in the Moscow City Court, which decided not to recognise the CAS decision in Russia. Despite no longer being an Olympic gold medallist, the Russian government has continued to classify him as an Olympic champion and pay him the lifetime Presidential stipend which is awarded to all Olympics medal winners.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.bbc.com/russian/news-46670250 | publisher= BBC | title = Бобслеист Зубков стал "олимпийским чемпионом на территории России". Соцсети завидуют. | newspaper= BBC News Русская Служба | access-date=11 January 2019 }}</ref>
==Personal life== His daughter, Elisaveta Zubkova, is a Russian skeleton slider.<ref name="Elisaveta">{{cite web|url=http://www.tas-cas.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Media_Release__decision_RUS_IOC_.pdf|title=THE COURT OF ARBITRATION FOR SPORT (CAS) DELIVERS ITS DECISIONS IN THE MATTER OF 39 RUSSIAN ATHLETES V/ THE IOC|date=1 February 2018|publisher=tas-cas.com|access-date=26 February 2018}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category|Alexandr Zubkov}} * [http://sports123.com/bob/mo-4.html Bobsleigh four-man Olympic medalists for 1924, 1932–56, and since 1964] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190323143804/http://sports123.com/bob/mo-4.html |date=23 March 2019 }} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070929091333/http://sports123.com/bob/mw-2.html Bobsleigh two-man world championship medalists since 1931] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20071211002351/http://sports123.com/bob/mw-4.html Bobsleigh four-man world championship medalists since 1930] * {{IBSF|101401|Alexsandr Zubkov}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20080409025403/http://sports123.com/bob/mwc-c.html List of combined men's bobsleigh World Cup champions: 1985–2007] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20080208132156/http://sports123.com/bob/mwc-4.html List of four-man bobsleigh World Cup champions since 1985] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20080409025349/http://sports123.com/bob/mwc-2.html List of two-man bobsleigh World Cup champions since 1985]
{{s-start}} {{s-sports|oly}} {{succession box | before = Aleksey Morozov | title = Flagbearer for {{RUS}} | years = Sochi 2014 | after = ''Incumbent'' }} {{s-end}}
{{Footer World Champions Bobsleigh Two-man}} {{Footer World Cup Champions Bobsleigh Two-Man}} {{Footer World Cup Champions Bobsleigh Four-Man}} {{Footer World Cup Champions Bobsleigh Men's Combined}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zubkov, Alexandr}} Category:1974 births Category:Living people Category:Russian male bobsledders Category:Russian male lugers Category:Bobsledders at the 2002 Winter Olympics Category:Bobsledders at the 2006 Winter Olympics Category:Bobsledders at the 2010 Winter Olympics Category:Bobsledders at the 2014 Winter Olympics Category:Lugers at the 1998 Winter Olympics Category:Olympic bobsledders for Russia Category:Olympic lugers for Russia Category:Olympic silver medalists for Russia Category:Olympic bronze medalists for Russia Category:Sportspeople from Bratsk Category:Olympic medalists in bobsleigh Category:Medalists at the 2010 Winter Olympics Category:Medalists at the 2006 Winter Olympics Category:Russian sportspeople in doping cases Category:Doping cases in bobsleigh Category:Competitors stripped of Winter Olympics medals Category:20th-century Russian sportsmen