The International Olympic Committee delayed the medal ceremony for the team figure skating competition on Tuesday over what it said were “legal issues” but according to one report, a Russian skater has tested positive for drugs.
A source told USA Today on Wednesday that one of the six members competing for the Russian Olympic Committee tested positive for drugs after winning gold in the three-day team event which concluded on Monday.
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The source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, did not identify which skater turned back the positive test.
Russian Olympic Committee pose for a photo during the Women Single Skating – Free Skating of the Figure Skating Team Event at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Games, Beijing, China, 07 February 2022. (Photo by Alexander Mysyakin/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
The ROC, followed by the United States and Japan were to be honored during their official medal ceremony on Tuesday but the event was pulled from the schedule without explanation.
IOC spokesman Mark Adams later told reporters during a daily news briefing that the issue required “legal consultation” with the governing body of skating. He offered little information other than confirming that “We have athletes that have won medals involved.”
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Reporters on Wednesday speculated if the issue could affect the podium.
“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 in response to questions.
Kamila Valieva of the Russian Olympic Committee performs during the figure skating team event women’s single skating free skating at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 7, 2022. (Photo by Lan Hongguang/Xinhua via Getty Images)
The medals’ presentation could be further delayed if a team or skater were to be disqualified over the incident. In this case, Canada, who finished fourth in the event, could find itself on the podium.
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Gold medalists Kamila Valieva, Anastasia Mishina, Aleksandr Galliamov, Victoria Sanitsina, Nikita Katsalapov, Mark Kondratiuk of Team Russia celebrate during the Team Event flower ceremony on day three of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at Capital Indoor Stadium on February 07, 2022 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)
The Russians are already serving a two-year ban, acting as representatives of the Russian Olympic Committee, after a large Russian state-sponsored doping program was first uncovered in 2016.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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