Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva cleared to compete in Olympics despite failed drug test. Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva can continue to compete at the Beijing Winter Olympics despite testing positive for a banned substance before the Games, an international body ruled Monday.
Russian Figure Skater: Doping| Ruling on| Drug test
Doping:
The Russian figure skater came to the Beijing Games having set world records and after a dominant 2021, including winning the Russian and European Championships. She’s still only 15, and sometimes appears at media conferences holding a favourite stuffed rabbit toy.
Last week, she helped the Russian team to gold in the team event, where she became the first female skater to land a quadruple jump at the Olympics. But she was never presented with the gold. After days of rumour, it was confirmed she had tested positive for a banned substance.
Ruling on:
Valieva has been cleared to compete in the rest of the Games, where she will start as favourite in the women’s individual figure skating. The case has raised questions about the adults around her and over Russia’s record of doping in elite sports competitions. But at the centre of the controversy is a teenager who made her senior debut just months ago.
Born in Kazan, Russia’s Tatarstan Republic, Valieva started skating at three, also practicing ballet and gymnastics. But her mother wanted her to choose one sport so she opted for skating. They moved to Moscow when Valieva was six.
Drug Test:
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) cited her age as one of the reasons why it made the decision. World anti-doping agency Wada said it was “disappointed” by the move.
Still, there remains widespread sympathy for Valieva. The Global Athlete Group said the fact she had tested positive “is evidence of abuse of a minor. Sport should be protecting its athletes, not damaging them.”
She trains under Eteri Tutberidze, who has coached several skaters in to international success – but whose methods have been criticised as unduly harsh. Several former students retired early. Valieva has spoken positively about working with Tutberidze, telling Russian magazine La Personne “we need a coach like Eteri”.
