Ice-skating governing body decides to raise minimum competition age from 15 to 17 following a drugs scandal of then-15 year-old competitor Kamila Valieva
Valieva failed a pre-Games drugs test but was allowed to compete and then broke down after falling multiple times during her performance.
Tuesday's decision by the International Skating Union congress in Phuket, Thailand, came months after a Beijing Winter Olympics drugs scandal involving then 15-year-old Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva. Valieva failed a pre-Games drugs test but was allowed to compete and then broke down after falling multiple times during her performance.
The ISU had insisted that raising the age limit was on its agenda well before the Valieva case and acknowledged it had a duty of care to elite adolescent athletes.Russian Olympic skater practises in shadow of doping test controversyThe skating body's medical advice backed raising the age limit to 17 arguing it would benefit young skaters physically and mentally, and help extend their careers.