The medal ceremony for the team figure skating event at the Winter Olympics has been dramatically delayed following an alleged failed drugs test, it is claimed
During the competition, it was Russia who dominated proceedings, finishing the three-day event on Monday with an overall score of 74 points.
The USA took silver with a score of 65, with Japan in bronze medal position on 64. As it stands, Canada [53 points] were the team to finish just outside the medal placings in fourth.
The ceremony was due to take place in Beijing’s Olympic medals plaza on Tuesday night, but was delayed at the 11th hour with International Olympic Committee spokesman Mark Adams citing an ongoing legal issue.
“We have athletes that have won medals involved,” Adams said at the IOC’s daily briefing.
However, USA Today reported the issue centred around claims of an alleged positive drugs test from one member of the victorious Russian outfit, "according to a person with knowledge of the situation who spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity."
In a statement, the International Skating Union confirmed that ongoing legal talks were taking place.
The news is likely to heighten the scepticism surrounding the presence of Russian athletes in Beijing, who cannot compete under their national flag following allegations of state sponsored doping that delve back to the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
Dozens of the country's athletes at the Games eight years ago, including at least 15 medal winners, were later found guilty of participating in a doping programme, that had seemingly been meticulously planned for years.
Grigory Rodchenkov, who ran the laboratory that handled testing for thousands of Olympians, later turned whistleblower and publicly lifted the lid on the programme, and has since fled to America where he lives under protection.
As a result, in 2019 the World Anti Doping Agency banned Russia from competing in international sporting events - but like at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, athletes are permitted to compete in Beijing as neutrals.
