Ukrainian Cross-Country Skier Tests Positive For Three Banned Substances At Beijing Olympics

Topline

Ukrainian cross-country skier Valentyna Kaminska has tested positive for a steroid and two stimulants, becoming the second athlete at the Beijing Winter Olympics to fail drug tests, the International Testing Agency said in a statement Wednesday.

Key Facts

The ITA said it took Kaminska’s doping sample last week, and received results Tuesday that the sample had tested positive for the stimulants heptaminol and 5-methylhexan-2-amine and an anabolic androgenic steroid, a common performance-enhancing drug.

Kaminska, 34, has been informed of the result, and provisionally suspended from the Winter Games until the resolution of her case.

She has competed in three events at the Games, coming in 79th in the women’s 10 km classic cross-country, 70th in women’s sprint free qualification and helping team Ukraine to finish 18th in the women’s 4×5-km relay.

Key Background

Kaminska competed for Belarus in 2014 and 2018. Last week, Iranian Alpine skier Hossein Saveh-Shemshaki was provisionally suspended after testing positive for an anabolic androgenic steroid. Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva, 15, was provisionally suspended from competing at the Games after she tested positive for a banned performance-enhancing drug in a sample taken before the Olympics, but the Court of Arbitration for Sport allowed her to compete.

Tangent

Valieva helped Team Russian Olympic Committee win gold in the team figure skating competition before her doping case surfaced. Her team was able to keep their medals because Valieva’s doping test was from a sample taken before the Olympics. Valieva took an early lead in the women’s single skating competition Tuesday, and will compete for gold in a free skating event Thursday. However, even if Valieva clinches a medal in the free skating event, she will not be awarded a medal until she is cleared of her doping case. 

Further Reading

Ukrainian cross-country skier Kaminska suspended after positive dope test (Reuters)  

Alpine skiing-Iran’s Saveh-Shemshaki suspended after positive dope test (Reuters)

Russian Skater Kamila Valieva Reportedly Tested Positive For 3 Heart Drugs (Forbes)