© KEYSTONE/AP/Jeff Roberson
Will skate? Won’t skate? Kamila Valieva’s participation in the Olympics is suspended following a decision by the Sports Court (CAS) expected before the start of individual competition on Tuesday.
Kamila Valieva, only 15 years old and undefeated until then for her first winter in seniors, tested positive for trimetazidine during a test carried out on December 25 during the Russian Championships. Trimetazidine, used to relieve angina pectoris, has been banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) since 2014.
Notified of the positive test on Tuesday – the day following the victory of the Russian team under neutral flag in the team competition in Beijing in which it participated – the Russian anti-doping agency then “provisionally suspended with immediate effect” Valieva, explains ITA in a long press release detailing the sequence of events.
Call from the IOC
This provisional suspension then deprived the young skater of participating in any competition, including the 2022 Olympics. But “the athlete appealed to the Rusada on February 9 and a hearing took place the same day”, continues the ITA, the body responsible for doping controls during the Olympics. “On the evening of February 9, Rusada decided to lift the provisional suspension of the athlete, allowing him to continue to participate in the Olympics.”
“The reasoned decision will be communicated shortly to all parties,” said the body. Nevertheless, “because a decision is necessary before” the start of the individual competition, scheduled for Tuesday February 15 and Thursday February 17, “the IOC will exercise its right to appeal without waiting for Rusada’s reasoned decision”, announces the ITA.
Kamila Valieva’s age – under 16 – makes her a “protected person”, which implies special provisions, confidentiality around her control and potentially reduced sanctions, according to WADA regulations.
Team ROC stripped of the title?
It was the postponement of the medal ceremony for the team competition, for “legal” reasons according to the IOC, which was the starting point of this affair. Regarding this event, the main problem is to determine the consequences of Valieva’s positive test for her team, victorious in front of the United States and Japan, Canada finishing in fourth place.