A medal ceremony for Russia's recent team figure skating gold win - where Valieva hit two quad jumps - has subsequently been suspended; the 15-year-old practised as usual on Thursday morning in Beijing
Thursday 10 February 2022 09:37, UK
Russian superstar figure skater Kamila Valieva has turned up for training as usual at the Beijing Olympics - amid reports the 15-year-old has tested positive for a banned substance.
A medal ceremony for Russian Olympic Committee's (ROC) recent team figure skating gold win - where Valieva hit two quad jumps - has subsequently been suspended.
Russian newspaper RBC reported that Valieva tested positive for trimetazidine, a banned heart medication, before the Beijing Games.
It is the first big doping case at the Beijing Olympics that involves one of its favourite young stars.
Matters have been made more complex due to Valieva's age, which can give her extra protection.
The World Anti-Doping Code classes minors as a "person who has not reached the age of 18 years" - and the question of identifying them "shall be proportionate to the facts and circumstances of the case".
It could mean that the circumstances of Valieva's case will focus on the advice and decisions of her team officials and coaches.
On Wednesday, IOC spokesman Mark Adams said that "legal consultation" was required between the Olympic committee and the International Skating Union.
He refrained from revealing further details - but confirmed that "athletes that have won medals" are involved.
Valieva - who became the first woman to land a quadruple jump in the Olympic competition - practised as usual on Thursday morning and skated with teammate Alexandra Trusova.
She was also seen getting tips from coach Eteri Tutberidze at the practice rink and even flashed a smile to another one of her coaches near the end of the half-an-hour session.
None of the skaters at practice took questions from reporters.
Her attendance at training implies that the federation is not accepting any finding that would eliminate her - and it is unclear if Russia is appealing or fighting the result.
"She is not suspended," Russian figure skating federation spokeswoman Olga Ermolina said, providing no further detail.
The first sign of a problem with the results of the three-day team competition came when the medal ceremony was postponed indefinitely after Russia won gold, the US silver, and Japan bronze.
ROC could lose its gold medal from the team competition due to a positive test, and it could also threaten Valieva's chance of winning the individual competition that begins on Tuesday.
The US team would be elevated to the gold medal for the first time in the event if ROC is disqualified, and Japan would be awarded silver. Fourth-place finisher Canada would receive the bronze medal.
The sample was reportedly obtained in December, when the teenager was still in Russia.
It reportedly did not come to light until after she had helped her team win the gold medal with her dynamic performances on Sunday.
It is also unclear whether the Russian star applied for a therapeutic use exemption or has a history of heart problems.
Reporters asked the Kremlin about the reported doping issue.
"Let's, for the sake of understanding, wait for some explanations either from our sports officials or from the IOC," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
Traditional doping is uncommon in figure skating since more muscle mass is seen as a negative. However, many skaters have been caught trying to control their weight with diuretics over the years, which are banned for their ability to mask steroid use and other medications that could affect performance.
Iranian Alpine skier Hossein Saveh Shemshaki has been provisionally suspended after testing positive for an anabolic steroid - the first confirmed case of doping at the Winter Olympics in Beijing.
The 36-year-old was expected to compete at his third Games but returned an "adverse analytical finding", the International Testing Agency said.
Saveh Shemshaki's sample, collected during an out-of-competition anti-doping control on Monday in Beijing, tested positive for an anabolic androgenic steroid that is on the World Anti-Doping Agency's list of prohibited substances.
An ITA statement read: "The athlete has been informed of the case and has been provisionally suspended until the resolution of the matter in line with the World Anti-Doping Code and the IOC Anti-Doping Rules applicable to the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022.
"This means that the athlete is prevented from competing, training, coaching, or participating in any activity, during the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022.
"The athlete has the right to challenge the imposition of the provisional suspension before the Court of Arbitration for Sport - Anti-Doping Division (CAS ADD).
"The athlete also has the right to request the analysis of the B-sample."
Saveh Shemshaki raced in slalom and giant slalom at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and four years later at Sochi, where he was Iran's flag bearer.
