South Korean women’s national team cross-country skier Han Da-som. [Photo=Yonhap]
Two South Korean athletes who competed in qualifying for the women’s sprint classic in cross-country skiing at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics were disqualified after being found to have used a banned substance.
Reuters reported on Tuesday (Korea time) that the International Ski and Snowboard Federation, known as FIS, disqualified two South Korean women’s cross-country skiers after they tested positive for a prohibited substance in Olympic women’s sprint classic qualifying.
The athletes were Han Da-som of Gyeonggi Provincial Government and Lee Ui-jin of the Busan Metropolitan City Sports Council. They finished 70th and 74th, respectively, in qualifying held Monday at the Tesero cross-country stadium in Italy and did not advance.
After the race, however, a fluorine-wax test found a banned component, leading to disqualification regardless of their results.
Fluorinated wax has been used on ski bases to reduce friction with snow, but concerns have grown about its main ingredient, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, which are considered harmful to the environment and human health. PFAS break down poorly in nature and can contaminate soil and groundwater, and studies have linked buildup in the body to higher health risks.
FIS has banned fluorinated wax in all sanctioned competitions since the 2023-24 season. With portable infrared spectroscopy devices now in use, on-site detection is possible. This is the first Olympics held since the rule took full effect.
Earlier, Japanese veteran snowboarder Shima Masaki was also disqualified after fluorinated wax was detected on his snowboard base following the first run of men’s parallel giant slalom qualifying.
Reuters reported on Tuesday (Korea time) that the International Ski and Snowboard Federation, known as FIS, disqualified two South Korean women’s cross-country skiers after they tested positive for a prohibited substance in Olympic women’s sprint classic qualifying.
The athletes were Han Da-som of Gyeonggi Provincial Government and Lee Ui-jin of the Busan Metropolitan City Sports Council. They finished 70th and 74th, respectively, in qualifying held Monday at the Tesero cross-country stadium in Italy and did not advance.
After the race, however, a fluorine-wax test found a banned component, leading to disqualification regardless of their results.
Fluorinated wax has been used on ski bases to reduce friction with snow, but concerns have grown about its main ingredient, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, which are considered harmful to the environment and human health. PFAS break down poorly in nature and can contaminate soil and groundwater, and studies have linked buildup in the body to higher health risks.
FIS has banned fluorinated wax in all sanctioned competitions since the 2023-24 season. With portable infrared spectroscopy devices now in use, on-site detection is possible. This is the first Olympics held since the rule took full effect.
Earlier, Japanese veteran snowboarder Shima Masaki was also disqualified after fluorinated wax was detected on his snowboard base following the first run of men’s parallel giant slalom qualifying.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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