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Beijing Olympics – Figure Skating (F): Valieva positive but not suspended, the IOC will appeal
Statement from the International Anti-Doping Agency (ITA):
First of all, the ITA points out that Ms. Kamila Valieva, a member of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) delegation in Beijing, is a minor and therefore a “protected person” under the World Anti-Doping Code – this status applies to people under the age of 16. As such, the parties are not subject to mandatory public disclosure of her name or any matter in which she may be involved, but any public disclosure must be proportionate to the facts and circumstances of the matter. Seeing that some media did not give him the same protection and widely communicated on the basis of unofficial information following the postponement of the medal ceremony for the figure skating team event at the Olympic Winter Games in Beijing 2022, the ITA recognizes the need for official information due to heightened public interest. To state the facts chronologically, a sample from the athlete was taken under the Testing Authority and Results Management Authority of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) on December 25, 2021 during the Russian Figure Skating Championships in St. Petersburg, Russia . The WADA-accredited laboratory in Stockholm, Sweden reported that the sample returned an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAR) for the unspecified prohibited substance trimetazidine (classified S4: Hormonal and Metabolic Modulators according to the List Anti-Doping Code Prohibitions) on February 8, 2022. Following this, the Athlete was provisionally suspended by RUSADA with immediate effect.
In accordance with Article 15 of the IOC Anti-Doping Rules applicable to the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, RUSADA’s decision imposing a Provisional Suspension automatically prohibited the Athlete from participating in all sports during the Provisional Suspension, including Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. As the sample was taken by RUSADA before the Winter Games, this matter does not fall under the jurisdiction of the IOC and is therefore not directly handled by the ITA. In accordance with the IOC Anti-Doping Rules, the ITA immediately informed the Athlete that the Provisional Suspension imposed on him by RUSADA binds the IOC and that the Athlete is ineligible to compete, train or participate in any activity for the duration of the Winter Olympics. Due to the fact that this is not a case within the IOC’s authority and given its aforementioned protected person status, the ITA has refrained from publicly disclosing the matter following the notification in order to protect the identity of the athlete as a minor and to ensure that all the measures necessary for her physical and mental integrity can be implemented. During this time, all due legal proceedings have been initiated.
The Athlete challenged the imposition of the Provisional Suspension before the RUSADA Anti-Doping Disciplinary Commission on February 9, 2022 and a hearing was held the same day. On the evening of February 9, the RUSADA Anti-Doping Disciplinary Commission decided to lift the athlete’s provisional suspension, allowing him to continue his participation in the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. The reasoned decision, including the reasons why the provisional suspension has been lifted, will be communicated to all parties concerned shortly. Under the World Anti-Doping Code, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), the International Skating Union (ISU), RUSADA and the IOC have the right to appeal the decision to lift the Provisional Suspension to the Court of Arbitration for Sport ( CASE). The IOC will exercise its right to appeal and not wait for RUSADA’s reasoned decision, as a decision is needed before the next competition in which the athlete is scheduled to compete (the individual skating event, February 15, 2022).
Following the delegation of the IOC’s anti-doping program in relation to the Olympic Games to the ITA, the ITA will conduct the appeal before CAS on behalf of the IOC. Proceedings on the merits of the apparent anti-doping rule violation, including the Athlete’s right to request analysis of the B Sample, will be pursued by RUSADA in due course. The decision on the results of the Russian team in the team figure skating event can only be made by the ISU following a final decision on all the merits of the case has been made. The procedure, which is currently underway, can only relate to the provisional suspension. As the legal process for this case is not finally complete, the ITA will not provide any further comment. Any further information on the case will be released in the form of a public statement.