Russian skier Khudiev was stripped of his marathon victory in Switzerland because of fluoride

Russian skier Omar Khudiev was stripped of his victory in the Engadin La Diagonela classic style marathon in Switzerland due to the use of fluoride to prepare his skis.

"How did La Diagonela go, you ask? I answer: I won, but I was sent to the last place," he said on January 18 in his Telegram channel.

The athlete explained that after completing the marathon, his skis were sent for examination, which revealed the presence of banned fluoride, which is not allowed in Europe. He also noted that if he had not taken first place, the test would not have been carried out.

Products containing perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA/C8), derivatives of which are subject to a ban on use and sale in the European Union (EU), were banned by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) and the International Biathlon Union (IBU) in March 2023. Fluorine-based substances cause serious environmental damage and their use can give athletes a competitive advantage.

Familiar blitz: the best grandmasters gathered in New York for the tournament

The World Rapid Chess Championship will feature Russian participants, including reigning champions Gunina and Bodnaruk

Earlier, on December 28, 2024, Russian chess player Jan Nepomnyashchy was fined $200 due to inappropriate dress code at the World Blitz and Rapid Championships held in New York. At the 2022 World Blitz and Rapid Championship, he entered the game wearing a T-shirt with a quote from Argentine soccer player Lionel Messi. The jersey read in Spanish, "What are you looking at, asshole? Get outta here."