IOC issues reprimand to Svetlana Terenteva

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

The International Olympic Committee has issued a reprimand against Russian women’s hockey player Svetlana Terenteva for an anti-doping rule violation.

A urine sample supplied by Terenteva on Feb. 6 tested positive for tuaminoheptane. Primarily used as a nasal decongestant, tuaminoheptane is considered relevant for sports drug-testing because of its stimulating properties.

In a hearing on Feb 10, Terenteva admitted she had used Rhinofluimucil, which contains tuaminoheptane, under prescription to cure a bad head cold, but that she had stopped using it on Feb. 3 because she knew the substance would be prohibited beginning Feb 4.

The IOC disciplinary commission decided to issue a reprimand, rather than suspend Terenteva, because she admitted her use of the drug, was using it during a time when the use of the substance was not prohibited and because the drug would be out of her system well before the date of her first competition on Feb. 14.

-- Houston Mitchell in Vancouver