Biathlete Dmitry Malyshko dropped from the Russia squad, but Ustyugov and Shipulin are in

One of Russia’s leading biathletes Dmitry Malyshko has been dropped from the Russian squad for Saturday’s sprint at the World Biathlon Championships in Germany, the Russian Biathlon Union website revealed on Friday.

Malyshko, who received coach Valery Polkhovsky’s backing on Wednesday, surprisingly has not made the four-man sprint squad.

Evgeny Ustyugov, won an individual gold in the 15 kilometre mass start in Vancouver in 2010, and picked up bronze in the relay with teammate Anton Shipulin.

Vancouver 2010 gold-medalist Eyevgeny Ustyugov and bronze winner Anton Shipulin are in the sprint squad, alongside Andrei Makoveev and Evgeny Garanichev, who have each won one an individual stage of the World Cup.

Russia finished fifth in the mixed relay, which was won by Norway, with Slovenia second and Germany third, following a controversial finish involving a malfunctioning target and unexpected time penalties.