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Doping scandal in Russian sports

Russian figure skater banned for one year for doping

Anastasia Shakun was found guilty of violating anti-doping rules

© AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko

MOSCOW, April 8. /TASS/. Russian figure skater and ice dancer Anastasia Shakun was found guilty of violating anti-doping rules and disqualified for one year, the International Skating Union press service reported.

The ban officially starts as of November 10, 2018.

Shakun was paired with Daniil Ragimov and won the senior ice dance competition at the Pavel Roman Memorial competition held in Olomouc, the Czech Republic, on November 9-11. Upon the tournament’s completion, the ISU received a report from the Czech National Anti-Doping Committee stating that the Russian failed the doping test and her samples contained the prohibited substance furosemide.

DOPING SCANDAL IN RUSSIAN SPORTS

On December 14, the ISU informed the Figure Skating Federation of Russia that Shakun had failed the doping test and charged the athlete with two breaches of the ISU’s anti-doping rules. On February 11, the Figure Skating Federation of Russia announced that the Russian was disqualified from competitions. Shakun forewent the study of the B sample and admitted that she had taken furosemide during the competition as she was recommended by a pharmacy where she sought treatment for eye swelling, having forgotten that furosemide is a prohibited substance.

Last season was the first for the pairing of Shakun and Ragimov, because previously she had been teamed up with Yuri Petrosyan. The best result the pair got was silver at the Russian Cup.

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