Spanish figure skater Laura Barquero fails drug test from Beijing Games

Spanish figure skater Laura Barquero, has tested positive for the banned steroid clostebol. The International Testing Agency (ITA) confirmed the positive test was flagged after her short program with partner Marco Zandron in the pairs competition on February 18.

The duo finished 11th in the pairs competition.

Barquero has become the fourth athlete to fail a doping test at the Beijing Games after testing positive for the steroid.

“The athlete has been informed of the case. She has the right to request the analysis of the B-sample,” the ITA said in a statement. The case will now be referred to the anti-doping division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The Spanish Olympic Committee confirmed a skater’s suspension in a statement without specifying who tested positive.

“From the Spanish Olympic Committee we are waiting for the result of the counter-test, a result that every athlete has the right to request,” it added.

Other positive doping tests from Beijing were also reported for Iranian Alpine skier Hossein Saveh Shemshaki, bobsledder Lidiia Hunko and cross-country skier Valentyna Kaminska from Ukraine. Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva tested positive before the Beijing Games began, although the result of the test wasn’t made public until after the Games had started.