Winter Games 2022
The Valiyeva doping case has brought Russia’s sport into disrepute again
Kamila Walijewa
© Lintao Zhang / Getty Images
The IOC wants to quickly clarify before the International Court of Arbitration for Sports whether figure skater Kamila Valiyeva can compete in the individual competition and whether the Russian team will keep the gold medal. But the case is far from over.
The Russian Olympic team will not compete under the national flag in Beijing because the country was banned from international sporting events for four years by the world doping agency Wada in 2019. When Russian athletes win a gold medal, part of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 is played instead of the national anthem. Russian athletes are officially ostracized, and at many a past competition, contempt was shown directly towards the athletes.
In this situation, of all things, another doping affair brings Russia’s sport into disrepute again. According to the International Testing Agency ITA, 15-year-old figure skating prodigy Kamila Valiyeva tested positive in December for the drug trimedazidine, which can increase blood flow and endurance. It has been on the list of banned doping substances since 2014. Valiewa is still in Beijing because the Russian anti-doping agency reversed the athlete’s ban after one day.
Severe setback for Russian sport
The IOC now intends to settle the matter before the Court of Arbitration for Sport before Valiyeva competes in the individual competition on February 15. She has already won gold in the team competition. A day after the success, the first reports about the positive test appeared in the Russian media. “We want to speed this up as much as possible,” said IOC spokesman Mark Adams on Friday.
For Russia and its athletes, the allegations are again a severe image damage. Although the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) does not believe the procedure is legal, it does not change the fact that a 15-year-old was apparently given a drug to improve her performance. It is unlikely that Valiyeva received trimedazidine because of a heart problem (the drug is said to help with agina pectoris).
ROC is still defending itself against the allegations. The association’s primary concern is not to lose the gold medal for the figure skating team and to continue to take part in the competitions. Valiewa is considered a medal candidate in the individual competition.
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The ROC’s explanation is cryptic
“The doping control of an athlete who tests positive does not apply to the period of the Olympic Games,” it said in a somewhat cryptic ROC statement. Valiewa’s doping tests at the European Championships in January and at the Beijing Games were negative. You will fight for “the honestly won Olympic gold medal”.
Valiewa was banned by the Russian anti-doping agency Rusada after the positive doping test became known. After the athlete’s official protest, Rusada lifted the ban. The IOC is now suing the Cas.
The Valiyeva case will not be the last in connection with Russia. More trouble is imminent. A confidential paper from the World Anti-Doping Agency from October last year, which is available to ARD, is said to show that more than 500 cases of suspected doping by Russian athletes in connection with the state doping scandal and its consequences are still unsolved . According to ARD, a total of 50 cases came from winter sports. It is unclear whether Russian Beijing starters are affected.
sources: DPA, “Süddeutsche Zeitung”
