Russian skater Kamila Valieva practiced on the ice hours after reports came out that she tested positive for a banned substance. The 15-year-old is expected to deliver her nation its third straight Olympic gold medal in women’s figure skating.
A positive test could cost Russia the gold medal from the team competition and threaten Valieva’s chance to win the individual competition that starts Tuesday. She is the heavy favorite.
It is unclear whether Valieva applied for a therapeutic use exemption or has a history of heart problems. IOC spokesman Mark Adams said Wednesday that “legal consultation” was required between the Olympic committee and the International Skating Union. He gave few details, but acknowledged that “we have athletes that have won medals involved.”
While the Russian team dominated the competition, Valieva was the star. Along with winning the short program and free skate, she became the first woman to land a quadruple jump in Olympic competition. Traditional doping is uncommon in figure skating because additional muscle mass is generally a negative. But many skaters have been caught over the years trying to control their weight with diuretics, which are banned for their ability to mask steroid use, and other medications that could give them the slightest edge.
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