Andrey Korneyev, who won an Olympic bronze medal in the 200 breaststroke at the 1996 for Russian, died from stomach cancer on May 2nd.
Korneyev was only 40 years old.
Korneyev had a tremendous career which included winning three European titles and setting the short course 200 breaststroke world record in March of 1998 in Paris. He posted a 2:07.79 which broke Phil Rogers record of 2:07.80 which he set in 1993.
The Russian finished third at the 1996 Olympics behind Hungarians Norbert Rozsa and Karoly Guttler.
There was a great deal of controversy that surrounded his bronze medal performance in Atlanta. Korneyev tested positive for the Bromantan, which is a stimulant and was stripped of his medal, but won an appeal that was brought to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Korneyev, along with other Russian athletes, won their cases due to a technicality where the drug had been banned by FINA, not by name, only by association with the IOC’s list.