Russian skeleton racer Nikita Tregubov, silver medalist at the 2018 Winter Olympics, tested positive for COVID-19 before his team was set to fly to the 2022 Winter Olympics, his coach said. He will no longer compete in the upcoming Games.

Speaking to RIA news agency, coach Danil Chaban said Tregubov, 26, had twice tested positive for the virus during a training camp in Sochi in southern Russia and that he was now in quarantine.

"Today or tomorrow Nikita will be tested for the coronavirus again," RIA quoted Chaban as saying. "We hope that the result will be negative and we will see how the situation develops."

It soon became clear Tregubov would be replaced by Evgeny Rukosuev, as the ROC team flew to the Games on Jan. 31.  

What's more, the Russian Figure Skating Federation said Mikhail Kolyada would miss competing after testing positive for COVID-19 and be replaced with Evgeny Semenenko.

At the 2022 Games, Russians will be competing as representatives of the Russian Olympic Committee without their flag or anthem because of doping sanctions.