Winter Olympics: Ukrainian cross-country skier suspended after positive dope test

Valentyna Kaminska has the right to request the analysis of the "B" sample. PHOTO: AFP

BEIJING (REUTERS) - Ukrainian cross-country skier Valentyna Kaminska has tested positive for an anabolic androgenic steroid and two stimulants at the Beijing Winter Olympics, the International Testing Agency (ITA) said on Wednesday (Feb 16).

The ITA said the sample was collected during an in-competition anti-doping control on Feb 10 in Zhangjiakou, China, and reported by a World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) accredited laboratory in Beijing on Tuesday.

All three substances are on Wada's prohibited list.

"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," the ITA said in a statement.

Kaminska, 34, has the right to request the analysis of the "B" sample and may also challenge the suspension before the Anti-Doping Division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Kaminska is the second athlete to test positive in Beijing after Iranian Alpine skier Hossein Saveh Shemshaki, who was provisionally suspended last week.

The Beijing Olympics have been under a doping cloud after 15-year-old figure skater Kamila Valieva, who helped the Russian Olympic Committee win the team event gold medal, was allowed to compete in the individual competition despite testing positive for a banned substance in a sample from December.

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