Kamila Valieva: Russian media say Olympic skater failed drug test
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Loading... - Gwen Hebert
- 10 Feb 2022
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Russian figure skating star Kamila Valieva tested positive for a banned drug before the Winter Olympics in Beijing, two Russian newspapers say.
The reports, late on Wednesday, came after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) postponed a ceremony to present the 15-year-old skater and her teammates with their Olympic gold medals.
They cited unexplained legal reasons.
Newspapers RBC and Kommersant said Valieva tested positive for trimetazidine before she won the European championship in Estonia last month. The drug is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency because it can increase blood flow efficiency and help endurance.
The alleged positive test could cost Russia the team gold and also threaten Valieva’s participation in the individual event that starts next week. The teenager is a strong favourite in the competition.
The IOC declined to comment on Thursday.
Mark Adams, the group’s spokesman, told reporters that an “active legal case” was under way concerning the medal ceremony and that claims of a failed drug test were “speculation”.
“We had a situation arise yesterday that has all sorts of implications,” he said. “I’m not … going to comment on a legal case because it wouldn’t be appropriate.”
The Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) also declined to comment on reports that Valieva had returned a positive test.
The teenager delivered one of the highlights of the Beijing Games so far when she landed the first quadruple jump by a woman in Olympic competition.
Any move to penalise Valieva or strip the team of their medals would probably cause a national outcry as figure skating is a prestige sport for Russia. Read More…
