# Alexander Bessmertnykh (skier)

Alexander Andreyevich Bessmertnykh (Russian: Александр Андреевич Бессмертных, born 15 September 1986) is a Russian cross-country skier. In December 2017, he was one of eleven Russian athletes who were banned for life from the Olympics by the International Olympic Committee, as a result of doping offences at the 2014 Winter Olympics.

## Career

He represented Russia at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. On 16 February he ran the second (classical) leg in the men's team relay, together with his teammates Dmitry Yaparov, Alexander Legkov, and Maxim Vylegzhanin, and originally won a silver medal. In December 2017, he was one of eleven Russian athletes who were banned for life from the Olympics by the International Olympic Committee, after doping offences at the 2014 Winter Olympics. Bessmertnykh's results from the 2014 Winter Olympics were annulled. On 1 February 2018, their results were restored as a result of the successful appeal.

## Cross-country skiing results

All results are sourced from the International Ski Federation (FIS).

### Olympic Games

* 1 medal – (1 silver)
| Year | Age | 15 km  individual | 30 km  skiathlon | 50 km  mass start | Sprint | 4 × 10 km  relay | Team  sprint |
| 2014 | 27 | 7 | — | — | — | Silver | — |

### World Championships

* 3 medals – (3 silver)
| Year | Age | 15 km  individual | 30 km  skiathlon | 50 km  mass start | Sprint | 4 × 10 km  relay | Team  sprint |
| 2013 | 26 | — | — | 23 | — | — | — |
| 2015 | 28 | — | — | 10 | — | 4 | — |
| 2017 | 30 | 4 | 17 | — | — | Silver | — |
| 2019 | 32 | Silver | — | — | — | Silver | — |

### World Cup
#### Season standings

| Season | Age | Discipline standings | Discipline standings | Discipline standings | Ski Tour standings | Ski Tour standings | Ski Tour standings | Ski Tour standings | Ski Tour standings |
| Season | Age | Overall | Distance | Sprint | Nordic Opening | Tour de Ski | Ski Tour 2020 | World Cup Final | Ski Tour Canada |
| 2009 | 22 | 178 | 112 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2011 | 24 | 70 | 47 | NC | — | 25 | — | — | — |
| 2012 | 25 | 55 | 39 | 95 | 45 | 25 | — | — | — |
| 2013 | 26 | 30 | 17 | NC | — | 20 | — | 44 | — |
| 2014 | 27 | 49 | 37 | 79 | 10 | — | — | 36 | — |
| 2015 | 28 | 28 | 20 | NC | 61 | 18 | — | — | — |
| 2016 | 29 | 19 | 18 | 69 | 29 | 24 | — | — | 13 |
| 2017 | 30 | 15 | 11 | 62 | 28 | 13 | — | 14 | — |
| 2018 | 31 | 37 | 27 | NC | 22 | — | — | 21 | — |
| 2019 | 32 | 46 | 27 | NC | — | 33 | — | — | — |
| 2020 | 33 | 60 | 40 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2022 | 35 | 157 | 95 | — | — | — | — | — | — |

#### Individual podiums

* 6 podiums – (5 WC, 1 SWC)
| No. | Season | Date | Location | Race | Level | Place |
| 1 | 2012–13 | 19 January 2013 | La Clusaz, France | 15 km Mass Start C | World Cup | 2nd |
| 2 | 2015–16 | 20 December 2015 | Toblach, Italy | 15 km Individual C | World Cup | 2nd |
| 3 | 2015–16 | 13 February 2016 | Falun, Sweden | 10 km Individual C | World Cup | 2nd |
| 4 | 2016–17 | 11 March 2017 | Oslo, Norway | 50 km Mass Start C | World Cup | 3rd |
| 5 | 2016–17 | 18 March 2017 | Quebec City, Canada | 15 km Mass Start C | Stage World Cup | 3rd |
| 6 | 2018–19 | 17 February 2019 | Cogne, Italy | 15 km Individual C | World Cup | 3rd |

#### Team podiums

* 2 victories – (2 RL)
* 3 podiums – (3 RL)
| No. | Season | Date | Location | Race | Level | Place | Teammates |
| 1 | 2013–14 | 8 December 2013 | Lillehammer, Norway | 4 × 7.5 km Relay C/F | World Cup | 1st | Yaparov / Legkov / Vylegzhanin |
| 2 | 2018–19 | 27 January 2019 | Ulricehamn, Sweden | 4 × 7.5 km Relay C/F | World Cup | 1st | Belov / Spitsov / Maltsev |
| 3 | 2019–20 | 1 March 2020 | Lahti, Finland | 4 × 7.5 km Relay C/F | World Cup | 3rd | Semikov / Spitsov / Melnichenko |