Two athletes have reportedly been disqualified from the Winter Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina.
Last weekend, the 2026 Winter Olympic Games commenced across Milan and Cortina, with athletes around the globe hoping to become medalists.
So far, Norway top the table with six gold medals, and are followed by Germany and Sweden, who have won three gold medals each.
However, it has been a disappointing start for Team GB athletes as their search for a first medal continues.
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On Tuesday evening, it was reported that two athletes taking part in the Winter Olympics had been disqualified.
As per a report by the Daily Mail, the International Ski and Snowboard Federation have said that South Korean cross-country skiers Han Dasom and Lee Eui-jin have been disqualified from the women's classic sprint event after testing positive for a banned substance.
It has been alleged that fluorinated wax, or fluor, was found on skis belonging to Han and Lee.
The pair are ranked 157th and 158th in the World Cup and were not expected to fight for medals at the Winter Olympic Games.
Fluorinated wax was banned back in 2023 after it was classified as having harmful effects on the environment and human health.
It is believed that fluorinated wax is water-repellent and was first used in sailboats in order to make them glide better.
It was later then brought to skiing in the 1980s, where glide is an important element of the sport.
The report stated that due to the fact that fluorinated wax is not biodegradable, it can be labelled as a 'forever chemical', which can be harmful to ski technicians who use to apply the wax with a hot iron in areas that have poor ventilation.
Back in 2019, the International Ski and Snowboard Federation announced that fluorinated wax was to become a banned substance.
The ban came into play in 2023 and athletes' skis are often looked at in a test area located at the finish line.
SPORTbible has contacted the Korea Ski Association for comment.
Topics: Olympics
Marcus Chan