Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva fights positive test ahead of women's individual event

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(BEIJING) — Russian star figure skater Kamila Valieva tested positive for a banned substance during December’s Russian Figure Skating Championships, the International Testing Agency confirmed Friday, as rumors of her positive tests swirled in reports for days. However, a decision on her competing in the women’s individual event at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing will now go to an appeal hearing.

Valieva was a heavy favorite in the women’s event after scoring a record-high total in the team competition.

A World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) accredited lab found Valieva tested positive for trimetazidine, a heart medication, in a sample