A Teenage Olympic Figure Skater Is Accused Of Doping & Russia Is In The Middle Of It Again

Russia is being accused of cheating in sports. Again.

Eight years after Russia staged a massive doping conspiracy at the Sochi Winter Games, the country has once again been accused of doping — although Olympic officials aren't saying much about it.

The scandal involves figure skater Kamila Valieva, 15, who reportedly tested positive for a banned substance before a European competition last month.

Valieva helped Russia win the figure skating team event on Monday ahead of the U.S. and Japan, but the medal ceremony was cancelled for "legal reasons" that officials did not explain.

The teenager became the first female athlete ever to land a quadruple jump at the Olympics during that team event, and if the outcome doesn't change, this will be her first Olympic gold medal.

But The Guardian and others are reporting that Valieva was found to have a banned heart medication in her system in a test sample taken before the European Championship in January, and Olympic officials are now scrambling to sort the issue out.

The World Anti-Doping Agency banned the medication, trimetazidine, in 2014 because it could increase blood flow efficiency and, in theory, help endurance.

The International Olympic Committee had not confirmed the positive test as of Thursday. The Russian Olympic Committee and the International Skating Union also have not confirmed the result, but they'll have to sort it out because other countries are also waiting to see what will happen in the event.

The situation has triggered confusion and anger online, especially among people who feel bad for Valieva, one of the youngest athletes at the Games.

Team Russia is currently banned from competing under the nation's name, flag and anthem because of their doping scheme from 2014. Instead, they're listed as athletes from the Russian Olympic Committee.

Valieva was allowed to practice on Thursday despite the accusations, Reuters reports.

"She is not suspended," a spokesperson for the Russian figure skating federation told AP, without saying much else.

IOC spokesperson Mark Adams also refused to comment on "all sorts of speculation that I have also seen overnight."

Adams described it as an ongoing legal case, so everyone will have to wait and see how it all plays out.

This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.