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Two South Korean skiers were disqualified from the Winter Olympics on Tuesday after banned wax was found on their skis, officials said.
The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) said Han Dasom and Lee Eui-jin were left out of the qualification round for the women’s cross-country classic sprint after their team “tested positive for fluoride.”
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Han Dasom of Team Republic of Korea competes in the women’s 10 km + 10 km skiathlon on the first day of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Tesero Cross Country Ski Stadium on February 7, 2026 in Val di Fiemme, Italy. (Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
Fluoride, known as fluorinated wax, has been banned since the 2023-24 season, the BBC reported.
The FIS has said that fluorinated wax “may be a competitive advantage.” The substance is also said to pose health and environmental problems.
A member of the Korean Ski Association defended the athletes in an interview with South Korean media.
“Athlete products are not fluoridated wax,” the official said via The Athletic. “In all previous international competitions they tested negative and there were no previous problems. We are also perplexed.
Lee Eui-jin of the Republic of Korea competes during the women’s 5 km cross-country skiing final on Day 3 of the 2025 Asian Winter Games on February 9, 2025 in Harbin, China. (Emmanuel Wong/Getty Images)
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“We will consult experts from the wax and ski manufacturers to investigate whether the problem is with the wax or the skis.”
None of the South Korean skiers were among the favorites to win the event. Han and Lee ranked 157th and 158th respectively in the World Cup.
Jialin Bayani of China and Han Dasom of South Korea in action during the women’s 5 km freestyle on February 9, 2025. (REUTERS/Hannah Mckay)
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The final race in the classic discipline will take place on February 22, the last day of the Olympic Games.
