IOC won't discuss 'legal issue' delaying medal ceremony for team figure skating, as Russian media report ban on country's young star has been 'lifted.'
reported that Valieva's had been placed under temporary suspension pending a doping test, but that it had been"lifted," and thus Russia would hold onto its gold medal in the team skating event.
The Russian news website did not provide a source for its information, and Olympic officials in Beijing kept their lips sealed. There was still no indication when the medal ceremony might take place, or which nation would stand on the highest podium when it did. Other Russian outlets had reported that a sample obtained before Valieva won the European championship last month in Estonia, a performance that solidified her status as the leader of Russia's"quad squad" of elite women's figure skaters, had tested positive for a banned substance."She is not suspended," Russian figure skating federation spokeswoman Olga Ermolina said, offering no further detail.
The drug reportedly detected in Valieva's sample, trimetazidine, is a metabolic agent that helps prevent angina attacks and treats vertigo, according to the European Union's medicines agency. It is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency because it can help endurance and increase blood flow efficiency, both of which could help a figure skater.
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