The Beijing Olympics judges allowed Russian figure skaterKamila Vaieva to compete despite her positive test for a banned substance. Anti-doping officials were blamed for the “failure of functioning effectively”
In , the Court of Arbitration for Sport explained their decision in a 41-page document. It cited an “untenable delay” at the Swedish testing laboratory.
This meant Valieva’s positive heart medication test was not revealed until the Olympics, even though her urine sample arrived in Stockholm Dec. 29. The COVID-19 pandemic affected the staffing of the lab.
The lawyers said she was infected because her grandfather used the banned heart medication that she tested positive for.
Early Friday saw the full verdict of the judges published. It came just hours after Valieva’s error-filled free skate had dropped her to fourth place in the Olympic women’s individual event.
According to the International Testing Agency, Ukrainian bobsledder Lidiia Huno tested positive for anabolic steroids at the Beijing Games.
After competing on Monday, the ITA claims she failed a drug screening. She finished 20th in women’s monobob.
Hunko is the third Beijing Olympics athlete to be positive for doping, the second from Ukraine after Valnetyna Kaminska, cross-country skier.
All three ITA cases from Beijing detected a steroid.
According to Hunko’s official Beijing Olympics athlete biography, Hunko was second in the 2016 World’s Strongest Woman competition.
