In May 2016, Zubkov was named in a New York Times investigation of the state-sponsored steroid program in Russia. On 24 November 2017, he was found guilty of doping offenses and stripped of his medals from the 2014 Winter Olympics. In 2018 he appealed this decision in the Moscow City Court which has decided not to recognise the CAS decision in Russia. Therefore, in Russia he is still considered being an Olympics champion. This allows him to retain the lifetime Presidential stipend which is awarded to all Olympics medal winners.