BEIJING, Feb 10, 2022 (BSS/AFP) - The 15-year-old figure skating star
Kamila Valieva, who led Russia to team gold at the Beijing Olympics this
week, tested positive for a banned heart medication before the Games, Russian
media have reported.

   The positive test could cost Russia the team gold and also threatens
Valieva's participation in the individual event that starts on Tuesday.

   The sample was obtained before Valieva won the European championship last
month, the RBC newspaper reported late Wednesday.

   The drug detected is trimetazidine, a metabolic agent that is prescribed
for the treatment of angina and vertigo, according to Kommersant newspaper.

   It is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency because it can increase blood
flow efficiency and help endurance.

   The reports said the test was the reason that the medals ceremony for the
team event was delayed.

   International Olympic Committee spokesman Mark Adams on Wednesday cited a
"legal consultation" with the sport's governing body, the International
Skating Union, for the delay.

   "We have athletes that have won medals involved," Adams said at the daily
IOC media briefing, without giving further details.

   Russian athletes are competing in the Beijing Games as the Russian Olympic
Committee (ROC) after the country was banned because of a massive state-
sponsored doping scheme at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

   The Russians won the gold medal in the team competition with the United
States taking silver and Japan bronze, but the ceremony was removed from its
scheduled slot on Tuesday.