Figure skater Carolina Kostner makes deal with anti-doping authorities

Carolina Kostner, the Italian bronze medalist from the 2014 Sochi Olympics, will be allowed to return to figure skating on Jan. 1 after reaching an agreement with anti-doping authorities.

Kostner was banned after helping her then-boyfriend -- Olympic race walker Alex Schwazer -- hide from a tester who showed up at the former couple’s home. Schwazer has been banned for testing positive for the blood-boosting hormone EPO.

“Ms. Kostner has since recognized that she committed a serious error of judgment by misleading the doping control officer, and she has accepted that her conduct violated the Italian anti-doping rules,” the Court of Arbitration for Sport said on Monday.

Arbitration officials announced that Kostner agreed to have her penalty increased from 16 months to 21 months and have it backdated so that it expired at the start of next year.

The 28-year-old skater had previously announced she would take the 2014-15 season off. It was unclear if she planned to continue her competitive career.

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