Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva tested positive for "a banned substance" shortly before participating in the Beijing 2022 Winter Games.
The International Testing Agency, the independent agency that manages anti-doping in Beijing 2022, has confirmed the positivity of the Russian skater, already mentioned. Valieva tested positive on December 25, 2021, during the Russian national championships in St. Petersburg where she won gold for trimetadizine, a banned drug that is used against heart ailments.
The result, ascertained by a laboratory accredited by Wada (the world anti-doping agency) in Sweden, was announced on February 8, the day after the Russian team's victory in the individual competition.
THE IOC APPEAL - The IOC has therefore decided to challenge the readmission of the athlete and asked for the immediate suspension and disqualification. The case will be handled by the Sports Arbitration Court of the Lausanne court, which as usual has opened an ad hoc division in Beijing for the Olympic Games. The decision will be taken urgently, by February 15th, the date on which the individual match will begin where Valieva is a great favorite.
In the meantime, the result of the Team Event remains sub judice and the medals will not be delivered. The International Testing Agency was informed of the provisional suspension but did not disclose it because Valieva is considered a "protected person" due to her age (15), adding that the court will only rule on the provisional suspension. The whole merit of the case, in fact, will be decided later. Once the final decision is made, the International Skating Union will determine if the results of the team event will be valid. If Russia were to lose its gold medal, Team USA could step up to the top, while silver would go to Japan and bronze to Canada.
THE PROTEST OF THE ROC - According to the Russian Olympic Committee (Roc), Kamila Valieva has the right to compete in Beijing 2022 and her gold medal is fully valid, despite the positive doping found before the Games. In a statement, the Roc said it has made available a pool of lawyers and that Valieva has "the right to train and take part in unrestricted competitions until the Sports Arbitration Court decides otherwise." The positive test was done before the Games and the gold medal in the team figure skating event should not be "subject to automatic review".
The doping test of an athlete who tested positive "does not apply to the period of the Olympic Games", the Russian Olympic Committee noted in the note, noting that, at the same time, the athlete "has repeatedly passed the doping tests before and after the 25th. December, even already in Beijing during the figure skating tournament. All the results are negative ".
(Unioneonline / D)
