Ukrainian cross-country skier Valiantsina Kaminskaya has announced she is ending her career. She tested positive for doping during the Beijing 2022 Games and was suspended.
“My professional skiing career ended abruptly. I am writing these words with great pain in my heart and I still can’t imagine what it is. I just don’t believe it”, wrote Valiantsina Kaminskaya in social networks. “The shocking news of my doping test at the Olympics was a real disaster and almost the end of the world for me. It was an accurate shot from a nuclear weapon that destroyed me and wiped me off the face of the earth”, added she.
Belarusian-born Valiantsina Kaminskaya has been convicted of using the banned substances mesterolone, an anabolic steroid and stimulants.
The sample was taken during anti-doping control during a race last Thursday at the Beijing 2022 Games. She participated in the 10km classic style, the freestyle sprint and the women’s 4x5km relay. The test was given after the start of 10km on February 10.
Valiantsina Kaminskaya, who competed for Belarus at the Sochi 2014 and PyeongChang 2018 before changing nationality, also has the right to request an analysis of the “B” sample.
This is the third positive doping test at the Games in the Chinese capital after that of the Iranian alpine skier Hossein Saveh Shemshaki and the Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva.
The 34-year-old Valiantsina Kaminskaya finished 70th in the freestyle sprint, 79th in the 10km classic and 18th in the relay. For the athlete, these Olympic Games were the third in her career.
