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Russian Olympic doping scandal - how did we get here? / Photo: ©
Russian Olympic doping scandal - how did we get here?
Russian teenage figure skater Kamila Valieva has failed a drugs test, as doping reared its head at the Beijing Winter Games on Friday.
Here is what we know so far:
Who is Kamila Valieva?
The 15-year-old figure skater became the first woman in history to produce a quadruple jump at an Olympics to help Russia win team gold on Monday.
She is also the favourite to win the individual event in the Chinese capital, which starts on February 15.
The medals ceremony for the team competition did not take place as scheduled on Tuesday -- the first sign something was miss.
What has she done?
According to the International Testing Agency (ITA), a sample was collected from here on December 25 at the Russian championships in Saint Petersburg.
A World Anti-Doping Agency-accredited laboratory in Stockholm found that she tested positive for trimetazidine, a metabolic agent used for the treatment of angina and vertigo but banned by WADA because it can increase blood flow efficiency and help endurance.
What happened next?
The result was reported on February 8, the day after Valieva helped Russia win gold, and the Russian anti-doping agency RUSADA immediately suspended her. Valieva challenged the suspension on February 9 and RUSADA lifted it that same day, allowing her to continue competing in Beijing.
What about her Olympics?
Valieva is due to take part in the individual competition in Beijing next week and is one of the favourites for the gold medal.
She was still practising on Friday but her Olympics hang in the balance.
The IOC, the International Skating Union (ISU) and WADA are all appealing against the decision to lift the suspension before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
A decision is expected before the individual competition starts on Tuesday.
What are people saying?
The IOC hopes there will be a resolution as soon as possible. "Such cases are not helpful to the Games," said spokesman Mark Adams.
The Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) has made plain its anger, saying Valieva has the right to compete and her team gold medal should stand. It also said that the teenage skater had taken, and passed, a doping test at the Games.
The Kremlin also gave the skater its full backing.
Why are 'Russia' not Russia at the Olympics?
This is just the latest doping scandal surrounding Russian athletes in recent years at Olympic Games.
Russian competitors are taking part in Beijing as the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) after the nation was banned because of a massive state-sponsored doping scheme at its home 2014 Sochi Olympics.
J.Peterson--SFF
