Short-track skater suspended in 1st Winter Games doping case

SPORTS

Short-track skater suspended in 1st Winter Games doping case

The Canadian Press Published Monday, February 12, 2018 9:52PM EST Last Updated Tuesday, February 13, 2018 7:14AM EST

China's Lu Xiucheng, rear, Thomas Insuk Hong of the United States, centre, and Japan's Kei Saito, compete in the men's 1,000 meter short track speed skating, in Innsbruck, Austria, Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012. (AP Photo/Kerstin Joensson)

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PYEONGCHANG, Korea, Republic Of -- The first doping case of the Pyeongchang Olympics has been announced.

Officials say Japanese short-track speedskater Kei Saito has tested positive for acetalozamide, a diuretic that is also a masking agent which can disguise the use of other banned substances.

Saito "accepted on a voluntary basis to be provisionally suspended and to leave the Olympic Village."

Saito did not race in any event before the test result from a pre-competition sample was confirmed. His official blog says he's 21 and was competing in his first Olympics.

CAS says its judging panel handling Olympic doping cases will issue a final verdict after the games are over.

The highest court in world sports handles the prosecution of doping cases, and the International Olympic Committee is responsible for testing athletes.