Japanese Speedskater Kei Saito Kicked Out of 2018 Olympics for Doping

The 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, reportedly has its first case of an athlete being kicked out for doping.

Juliet Macur of the New York Times reported the news Monday, noting Japanese short-track speedskater Kei Saito was the guilty party. According to Macur, Saito tested positive for a masking agent during testing before the Games and "is provisionally suspended and left the Olympic village."

Saito, 21, was yet to officially compete in the Pyeongchang Games.

According to Martin Rogers of USA Today, Saito's positive test is the first for a Japanese athlete in Winter Olympics history.

"The revelation will be a major embarrassment to Japanese sports, which has long prided itself on its clean image and will be hosting the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo," Rogers wrote.

While it has not been a previous issue for Japanese teams in the Winter Olympics, doping was a primary focal point leading into the 2018 Games because of Russia. As CNN noted, Russia was banned from the Pyeongchang Olympics for systemic doping, although those individuals who could prove they were clean are still competing as part of the Olympic Athletes from Russia team.

If a Russian athlete wins the gold, the Olympic theme song is played while the victor is on the podium instead of the country's national anthem.