Russian Valieva had three drugs for heart conditions in sample, says report

Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva, whose doping case has rocked the Beijing Olympics, had three drugs that could be used to treat heart conditions in the sample she provided last December, the New York Times reported on Tuesday.

In addition to testing positive for the banned angina drug trimetazidine, the New York Times report said the Stockholm laboratory that analysed Valieva’s sample also found evidence of two other heart medications that are not on the banned list: hypoxen and L-Carnitine.

The New York Times cited documents filed in Valieva’s recent arbitration hearing and confirmed by someone who took part in the hearing.

“It’s a trifecta of substances — two of which are allowed, and one that is not allowed,” US Anti-Doping Agency Chief Executive Officer Travis Tygart said in the report.

Tygart added that the benefits of such a combination “seem to be aimed at increasing endurance, reducing fatigue and promoting greater efficiency in using oxygen.”

The Russian Olympic Committee did not immediately respond to a Reuters email seeking comment.

Valieva, 15, shrugged off her Olympic doping scandal to dominate the women’s competition on Tuesday with an emotional performance that put her ahead in the hunt for a gold medal that is unlikely to be awarded at the Beijing Games.

The teenager tested positive at her national championships on Dec 25 but the result was not revealed until Feb 8, after she had already competed at the Beijing Games in the team event.

Valieva was cleared on Monday by the Court of Arbitration for Sport to compete in the women’s singles event this week after a panel of three judges agreed with the Russian Anti-Doping Agency decision to lift a ban on her.

CAS, however, did not address the merits of her drug case, which now awaits a Rusada hearing that is not expected until well after the Winter Games end.

Earlier on Tuesday, an International Olympic Committee official said Valieva has argued that her positive drug test was caused by a mix-up with her grandfather’s heart medication.