RUSSIA'S 15-year-old figure skater Kamila Valieva faces the possibility of being thrown out of this years Winter Olympics in Beijing after her team won Winter Olympic gold in Beijing
A finding from the International Testing Agency confirmed that the teenager tested positive for a banned heart medication back in December.
The teen is said to have used trimetazidine for her heart problems. The treatment is banned as it is used as a cardiac metabolic modulator and has been proven to improve physical efficiency. It was added to prohibited substances in 2014. Chinese swimmer Sun Yang and Nigerian sprinter Blessing Okagbare are among those sanctioned for its use.
The sample collected is said to be from Christmas Day at the Russian Figure Skating Championships in St Petersburg.
Fifteen-year-old Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva faces being thrown out of the Winter Olympics after it was confirmed she tested positive for a banned substance.
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) February 11, 2022
The positive test came through on Tuesday, after she helped to win team gold for Russia on Monday,
She was provisionally suspended but the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) challenged the decision, and in a hearing 24 hours later the suspension was lifted by Rusada.
However, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the ITA are now appealing against Rusada’s decision.
It is reported that any appeal that's to come will go to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) to make a final ruling.
Until the outcome of the Cas hearing, then the other competitors of the event won't know their fate. The United States finished second, Japan third and Canada fourth will have to wait.
If the Russian is found guilty she would be stripped of gold and Valieva would be banned from competing in the women’s singles event.
A spokesman for the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) said it will "take comprehensive measures in order to protect the rights and interests of the members of the ROC team and to preserve the honestly won Olympic gold medal".
Cas will now hear the case before Valieva's scheduled appearance in the individual event, which starts next Tuesday, 15 February.
Independent Testing Authority have just released this statement on Kamila Valieva #FigureSkating #Beijing2022 pic.twitter.com/T9Ek4PIoFX
— James Toney (@jtoneysbeat) February 11, 2022
