A Russian figure skater in the Olympics has tested positive for a banned drug.
On Wednesday, the medal ceremony to give the Russian team their gold medals were postponed after one of its six-team members tested positive for a banned drug. Fifteen-year-old; was identified as the athlete.
The entire Russian team includes Valieva, Mark Kondratiuk, Anastasia Mishina, Aleksandr Galliamov, Victoria Sinitsina, and Nikita Katsalapov.
Reuters reports the banned drug was Trimetazidine, which is usually used to treat chest pain. The drug – which is not prohibited for use in the United States, works by increasing blood to the health and reducing rushes of blood pressure. Since 2014, the drug has been listed on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA), Reuters reports.
Deputy General and Producer at Russian Sports channel Match-TV claimed online that the sample in question was taken back in December of last year.
“The drug trimetazidine does not help an athlete in any way. At all. It was found in one single sample in December. A minuscule amount. Nothing in her samples before or since,” he wrote. “There is no doping in the conventional sense. No! This cardiac drug has no impact on … performance. Now leave Kamila in peace.”
