Two Winter Olympians banned after substance discovered on skis

Two cross-country skiers competing at the Winter Olympics have been disqualified after a banned substance was detected on their skis.

The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) said South Korean athletes Han Dasom and Lee Eui-jin had been ejected from the women's classic sprint in the qualification round.

Their skis had 'tested positive for fluor', the FIS explained, and 'flour' is fluorinated ski wax which has been banned since the 2023-24 season.

It's a water repellent substance which was previously used on boats to make them move through the water better before skiers started using it in the 80s.

The skiers were ranked 157th and 158th in the world and had not been considered contenders for medals at the Winter Olympics, but the FIS says fluorinated ski wax 'can be a competitive advantage' in the sport.

Han Dasom competing in the women's classic sprint qualification at the Winter Olympics, which she was later banned from (Lars Baron/Getty Images)

According to the BBC, there were also concerns over the impact it had on people's health and the environment as fluor is a 'forever chemical' that has been linked to several illnesses and conditions.

Skis are regularly tested to check for banned substances.

The women's classic sprint ended up in a triple-medal haul for Sweden as Linn Svahn picked up the gold while her teammates Jonna Sundling and Maja Dahlqvist joined her on the podium with silver and bronze respectively.

Ski Racing explained that the banned substance gave skiers 'unmatched speed for alpine and cross-country racers' as it lowered friction and increased the speed the skis could travel across a surface, giving those who used it a speed boost.

However, the fumes fluorinated wax gives off cause harm over a prolonged period of time, particularly if applied to the skis in a poorly ventilated area without people wearing proper safety equipment.

Fellow South Korean skier Lee Eui-jin, pictured here at last year's Asian Winter Games, was also disqualified (Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)

Elsewhere in the Winter Olympics, Team GB's skeleton team were told they were banned from using their new aerodynamic helmets.

This ban had come before they actually competed, so there's been no disqualification over using equipment that's not permitted, but the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) supported a ruling from the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) that the helmets were against the rules.

The governing bodies decided when it came to Team GB's helmets the 'rear significantly protrudes' and despite an appeal from the Brits the original decision stood.

At time of writing, Team GB are currently without medals in the Winter Olympics but the events they're fancied most for are still to come, with skeleton among them.