Mirai Nagasu of the United States celebrates after her performance in the ladies single skating free skating in the Gangneung Ice Arena at the 2018 Winter Olympics. Photo / AP
Japanese athlete's doping allegation
Japanese short-track speed skater Kei Saito has tested positive for doping at the PyeongChang Olympic Games, Kyodo news agency said, citing multiple sources.
Saito, 21, failed an out-of-competition test in the lead-up to the Games, the agency said, citing unnamed sources.
If true the positive doping test would be the first ever returned by a Japanese athlete at a Winter Olympics, Kyodo added.
It said the Japanese Olympic Committee had scheduled a press conference Tuesday to address Saito's adverse finding.
Saito has reportedly accepted a provisional suspension and has left the Olympic village.
Games organisers said they had no information on the doping report and the International Olympic Committee said it was not responsible for doping cases, referring the matter to the Independent Testing Authority, a new anti-doping body.
Saito, a human biology student whose sister Hitomi is also competing in PyeongChang, was a member of Japan's 3,000m relay team that finished third at the 2013 and 2014 world junior championships.
Japanese short-track speed skater Kei Saito is the first athlete to be kicked out of the Pyeongchang Olympics for doping. In pre-Games testing, he tested positive for a masking agent. He is provisionally suspended and left the Olympic village.
All eyes were on Mirai Nagasu on Monday in PyeongChang when she became the first American woman to land a triple axel in the Olympics.
A lot of those eyes also drifted to a dark strip that read "USA" in big, bold letters on the inside of her right leg — and the theories started flying.
Some viewers believed Nagasu, competing in her second Olympics, was sporting a tattoo visible underneath her short, red dress.
It was soon revealed the design was in fact temporary and aiding Nagasu's stellar performance. Kinesio Tape, which says it provides pain relief to athletes and has been spotted on Olympians like beach volleyball player Misty May-Treanor and NBA players like James Harden, took credit for the look in a tweet posted to its account following her performance.
"Everyone is wondering, but that's no tattoo on @mirai_nagasu's leg, that's #KTTape PRO USA tape!" it read.
Nagasu soon followed with confirmation.
This is the first I’m hearing of this but definitely not a big bold tattoo. 😂 https://t.co/pproDwhN2Y
Nagasu, who earned a personal-best score of 137.53 in the competition, helped Team USA to a bronze medal in the women's free skate competition. Canada took home the gold and the team of Olympic athletes from Russia the silver.
Olympic hypocrisy an American 'embarrassment'
US sports writer David Meeks has ripped into vice president Mike Pence for his Olympic snub, accusing him of soiling America's reputation on the global stage.
Pence refused to stand when the unified Korean team walked out during the opening ceremony in PyeongChang in protest of the oppressive North Korean regime led by dictator Kim Jong-un.
Meeks said it was an "embarrassment" he didn't stand because the delegation also contained athletes from South Korea, one of America's strongest allies, and he was critical the moment was politicised in "petty" fashion.
"By declining to stand and recognise athletes of the Korean unified team as they walked together during the opening ceremony, Pence not only offended the host country, he sent a message that to the Trump administration, not even common courtesy matters more than childish politics," Meeks wrote for USA Today.
"We all know North Korea is a dictatorship, but South Korea is among our strongest allies. Do they count? The people here are wonderful. Americans are respected and embraced in this country; it would seem a small gesture for a visiting vice president to return the same respect.
"America should always strive to set an example for others. Sometimes that means rising above pettiness, taking the high road of proper respect over mean-spirited grandstanding."
Meeks also highlighted the irony of Pence staying seated in PyeongChang after he walked out of an NFL game last season because he was offended by protesting players who refused to stand for the national anthem.
"That he saw nothing hypocritical in his behaviour in South Korea only underscores how tone deaf this administration is in representing the United States abroad," Meeks wrote.
Standing to applaud the host nation’s Olympic athletes hardly qualifies as condoning North Korea’s regime. The Games are in South Korea, an important U.S. ally.