Explainer: The Drug Behind Russia’s Olympic Doping Case

Feb 10, 2022, 11:09 AM

BEIJING, CHINA - FEBRUARY 07: Kamila Valieva of Team ROC reacts during the Women Single Skating Fre...

BEIJING, CHINA - FEBRUARY 07: Kamila Valieva of Team ROC reacts during the Women Single Skating Free Skating Team Event on day three of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at Capital Indoor Stadium on February 07, 2022 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)

(Photo by Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)

BEIJING (AP) — The first big doping case at the games involves one of its biggest stars, Kamila Valieva.

And it seems far from straightforward because she is just 15 years old and has protections as a minor in the anti-doping rule book.

The country at the center of it? Russia. Again.

The medication trimetazidine is a metabolic agent that helps prevent angina attacks and treats the symptoms of vertigo.

That is according to the European Union’s medicines agency. It can increase blood flow efficiency and improve endurance.

The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics

Just a year after Japan’s summer Olympics, the Games are back for a winter show in Beijing, China. The unusually short gap between Games is due to the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Strict precautions and enforced virus prevention protocol are in place to help keep athletes, coaches and personnel safe. 

Beijing is the capital of China, with a population of more than 20 million people and the first city to host both a Summer and Winter Olympic games. It is one of the largest cities in the world and 15 hours ahead of Mountain Time. There are 13 different venues in and around Beijing that will be used for the Winter Olympics. A total of 109 events will be held in 15 different sports, and there will be a lot of Utah locals competing for medals. Keep up to date with them at our Olympic headquarters.

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Explainer: The Drug Behind Russia’s Olympic Doping Case