Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva, who was just 15 when she was caught up in a doping scandal at the 2022 Winter Olympics, has been banned for four years. The ruling means Russia is certain to lose its team gold at the Games. The International Skating Union is expected to officially announce on Tuesday that the medal will go to the United States.
Valieva's ban was upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which said the now 17-year-old figure skater would be stripped of all her results, prizes, medals and awards until Christmas Day 2021, when she failed a test for trimetazidine (TMZ), a drug to prevent angina pectoris.
The verdict was immediately welcomed by the World Anti-Doping Agency, which strongly condemned Valieva's doctors and trainers. “Doping children is unforgivable,” it said. “Doctors, trainers or other support staff found to have administered performance-enhancing substances to minors should face the full force of the World Anti-Doping Code.”
However, in Russia there was a mood of resigned indignation. “Of course we don’t agree with this,” Dmitry Peskov, Vladimir Putin’s press secretary, told reporters. “From my point of view, this is of course politicized.”
Travis Tygart, chief executive of the US Anti-Doping Agency, welcomed the Cas ruling. Photo: Valentin Flauraud/EPA
Meanwhile, respected Soviet coach Tatyana Tarasova was more outspoken about Cas's verdict. “Damned! Scum!” She told Championat.ru.
Valieva was considered one of the stars of the 2022 Games and she initially became the first woman to do a quadruple jump in the Olympic team event when the Russian Olympic Committee won gold. But a day later, it emerged that she had tested positive six weeks earlier, per TMZ, and a media storm erupted.
That was partly due to Valieva's age and the question of whether a minor should face the same penalties for doping as an adult. Russia's past lurked in the background: the extent of state-sponsored doping meant that the country was neither allowed to display its flag nor hear its anthem at the Games.
Eventually, Cas allowed her to take part in the individual figure skating competition. But under the greatest strain, she fell twice and came fourth. Two years of legal wrangling followed before Cas finally reached his verdict.
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The ruling was also welcomed by US Anti-Doping Agency chief Travis Tygart, who said: “Today's decision in the Valieva case has been a long time coming.” It is imperative that the ISU immediately review the technical processes which are necessary for a corresponding reallocation of the medals.
“As we know, Russia has hijacked the Games since 2014, where it was caught red-handed conducting a state-sponsored doping program that deprived clean athletes around the world,” he added. “Here, those entrusted with protecting the Games and athletes have once again allowed Russia to endanger the well-being of its own athletes while depriving clean athletes and fans of honest, fair and authentic Olympic competition.”
Meanwhile, the U.S. Olympic Committee hailed the news as a “significant victory not only for Team USA athletes, but also for athletes worldwide who practice fair play and advocate for clean sport.”
“The incredible athletes of Team USA have demonstrated remarkable strength,” it continued. “Their outstanding performances in Beijing will forever symbolize their commitment to clean competition.”