The doping saga of the famous volleyball player Dmitry Ilinykh has come to an end. The Olympic champion returned to the position he held before his disqualification. Moreover, the approval of his candidacy did not take much time.

Ilinykh started working almost immediately!

I made a deal for the sake of softening

The doping scandal has haunted the volleyball player since the beginning of 2023. As it turned out, methylhexanamine, a drug banned in sports to increase energy, was found in his body. Moreover, the sample was taken back in 2013, but it was allegedly hidden from the public for a long time. Then Ilinykh played with all his might for Belogorye and enjoyed the status of an Olympic champion.

Dmitry Ilinykh and Georg Groser / Photo: © RIA Novosti / Vladimir Pesnya

When the doping story came to light, Dmitry did not want to admit guilt. For this he was punished in full, suspended from any work in volleyball for two years and deprived of some awards. Ilinykh lost all the medals won from May 2013 to May 2015, including gold at the European Championship, Champions League and Universiade. He was also removed from the post of sports director of Belogorye, which he held after finishing his playing career.

Formally, the volleyball player’s disqualification ended in February 2025. But he was still convinced to make a deal with the responsible authorities. In July, Dmitry refused to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and signed a settlement agreement with the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Due to this, his suspension was reduced to November 25, 2023.

They acted nobly

When the period of disqualification ended, Ilinykh returned to work. His reinstatement was announced in Belogorye. The message appeared on November 27, just two days after the sanctions were lifted.

— Dmitry Ilyinykh is the sports director of Belogorye. Welcome back! — representatives of “Belogorye” wrote in the club’s Telegram channel.

However, no one formally occupied his position. While Ilinykh was serving his disqualification, his functions were taken over by the club’s general director, Olympic champion Sergei Tetyukhin. “Belogorye” acted nobly and still waited for their legend to return to duty.

Injuries prevented

It goes without saying that the Ilinykhs are a legend of Belgorod. He played in the local team from the age of 17, progressing through the reserve team and the farm club. The 201-centimeter long player, together with Belogorye, became the champion of Russia and the winner of the National Cup, and also won the Champions League – alas, this success was officially annulled.

But no one questions his Olympic victory as part of the Russian national team. Ilinykh took part in the legendary final with Brazil in London 2012 and scored 34 points throughout the tournament. Basically, he was Taras Khtey’s replacement, but on the court he coped with his duties with dignity.

Vladimir Alekno and Dmitry Ilinykh / Photo: © RIA Novosti / Vladimir Pesnya

It seemed that the Ilins’ career would be as successful as possible. But it was interfered with by injuries that persistently pursued Dmitry. The consequences of the fight that occurred in December 2015 also had a serious impact. Then Ilinykh and his Gazprom-Yugra teammate Pavel Zaitsev suffered from an attack by unknown persons.

After leaving Belogorye, the player was unable to gain a foothold in any team. His track record includes Gazprom-Yugra, Dynamo Moscow, Kuzbass, Yenisei and Ural, but Ilinykh did not spend more than one season anywhere. An attempt to find happiness abroad also failed: Dmitry tried himself in the Qatari Air Rayyan, the Greek PAOK and the Turkish Solhanspor. Returning from Turkey, the volleyball player announced his transition to administrative work and in December 2021 became the sports director of Belogorye.

There is something to do

Ilinykh is not the only champion of the London Olympics whose doping test gave a positive result. Previously, Dmitry Musersky and Alexander Butko were punished for the same violation. However, they immediately admitted to what they had done and received short terms of disqualification, and then returned to professional volleyball.

Now Dmitry Ilyinykh has something to do. His Belogorye is in sixth place in the PARI Super League table, sharing points with Yenisey and Dynamo-LO. Obviously not the result that Belgorod volleyball fans are accustomed to. So the athletic director has a lot of work to do. The main thing is that he can do it!

Volleyball Super League and Russian Cup matches can be watched on the TV channels of the Match holding company, as well as on the websites matchtv.ru and sportbox.ru.