Russian teenager Kamila Valieva has been cleared to compete in the womenB次元官网网址檚 figure skating competition at the Winter Olympics despite failing a pre-Games drug test, setting her up for an attempt at a second gol medal.
Whatever happens on the ice, Valieva will not get a medal ceremony moment in Beijing. Nor will any skater who finishes in the top three with her.
cleared Valieva to skate less than 12 hours after a hastily arranged hearing that lasted into early Monday morning. A panel of judges ruled that the 15-year-old Valieva, the favorite for the womenB次元官网网址檚 individual gold, does not need to be provisionally suspended ahead of a full investigation.
The court gave her a favorable decision in part because she is a minor, known in Olympic jargon as a B次元官网网址減rotected person,B次元官网网址� and is subject to different rules from an adult athlete.
B次元官网网址淭he panel considered that preventing the athlete to compete at the Olympic Games would cause her irreparable harm in the circumstances,B次元官网网址� CAS Director General Matthieu Reeb said.
Now, Valieva and her fellow Russian skaters can aim for the first podium sweep of womenB次元官网网址檚 figure skating in Olympic history. The event starts with the short program Tuesday and concludes Thursday with the free skate.
The International Olympic Committee said Monday afternoon that if Valieva finishes in the top three, there will be no medal ceremony during the Games. There will also be no ceremony for the team event won by Valieva and the Russian team a week ago.
B次元官网网址淚t would not be appropriate to hold the medal ceremony,B次元官网网址� the IOC said.
Valieva landed the first quadruple jumps by a woman at the Olympics as the Russian team won gold in a dominant performance.
The decision not to award medals also affects Nathan Chen and the rest of the second-place American team, who will leave Beijing unsure if they won silver or gold. It would be ChenB次元官网网址檚 second gold of the Games. If Valieva and Russia are disqualified, Japan moves up to silver and Canada wins bronze.
B次元官网网址淲e are devastated that they will leave Beijing without their medals in hand, but we appreciate the intention of the IOC to ensure the right medals are awarded to the right individuals,B次元官网网址� the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee said in a statement.
The Canadian Olympic Committee also expressed disappointment with the decision.
B次元官网网址淭he situation that has unfolded with respect to the Russian figure skating athleteB次元官网网址檚 doping case is extremely unfortunate and sad for the athletes,B次元官网网址� COC president Tricia Smith said in a statement. B次元官网网址淭he COC is fully committed to clean sport and we firmly believe that no one involved in doping or other corrupt practices has a place in the Olympic Movement.
B次元官网网址淲hile we trust that the CAS decision was the result of a fair process, we are extremely disappointed with this result.B次元官网网址�
Former Canadian figure skater Meagan Duhamel, a three-time Olympic medallist, slammed the ICO for nixing the medal ceremonies.
B次元官网网址淚 will stand up, even if IB次元官网网址檓 standing alone, to demand a team medal ceremony for the athletes from the USA and Japan,B次元官网网址� Duhamel posted on Twitter. B次元官网网址淒o not punish them for this. Let them have their moment.B次元官网网址�
Duhamel won gold with Canada in the team event and bronze in pairs with partner Eric Bradford at the 2018 Games. She also won team silver with Canada at the 2014 Sochi Games.
The IOC decision also means the fourth-place finisher in the womenB次元官网网址檚 event will have a good chance to move into the bronze position.
Shortly after the CAS ruling, Valieva skated at practice, watched by her coach, . She completed her program without a fall, drawing a smattering of applause from the Russian media watching.
ranged from support of the young skater to complaints that Russian doping had once again damaged a sporting event.
In addition to her status as a minor, the CAS ruling cited fundamental issues of fairness, the fact she tested clean in Beijing and that there were B次元官网网址渟erious issues of untimely notificationB次元官网网址� of her positive test.
Valieva tested positive for the heart drug on Dec. 25 at the Russian nationals, but the result from a Swedish lab didnB次元官网网址檛 come to light until a week ago, after she helped the Russian Olympic Committee win the team gold.
Reasons for the six-week wait for a result from Sweden are unclear. In a statement, WADA suggested RUSADA slipped up by not signaling to the Stockholm lab that ValievaB次元官网网址檚 sample was a priority to be analyzed so close to the Olympics.
Her case has caused havoc at the Olympics since last Tuesday when the team event medal ceremony was pulled from the schedule because of the positive test.
The Russian anti-doping agency (RUSADA) immediately suspended her, then lifted the ban a day later. The IOC and others appealed, and an expedited hearing was held Sunday night. Valieva testified via video.
Athletes under 16 like Valieva have more rights under anti-doping rules and typically arenB次元官网网址檛 held responsible for taking banned substances. The focus of any future investigation will be on her coaches, doctors, nutritionists, etc.
This ruling only addresses whether Valieva can keep skating before her case is resolved. It doesnB次元官网网址檛 decide the fate of the one gold medal she has already won.
Those issues will be dealt with in a separate, longer-term investigation led by RUSADA, which took the sample in St. Petersburg.
The World Anti-Doping Agency will have the right to appeal any ruling by RUSADA, and also said it wants to independently investigate ValievaB次元官网网址檚 entourage.
The Valieva case means Russian doping has been a major theme for a six straight Olympic Games.
B次元官网网址淭his appears to be another chapter in the systematic and pervasive disregard for clean sport by Russia,B次元官网网址� US Olympic and Paralympic Committee CEO Sarah Hirshland said in a statement.
Hirshland said the USOPC was B次元官网网址渄isappointed by the message this decision sendsB次元官网网址� and suggested athletes were denied the confidence of knowing they competed on a level playing field.
At the rink Tuesday, the ice dance competition was decided as the CAS prepared its verdict.
Gold medalists Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron of France and American bronze medalists Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue offered, B次元官网网址淣o comment.B次元官网网址�
Nikita Katsalapov, who along with Victoria Sinitsina won the silver medal for the Russians, said simply: B次元官网网址淕o Kamila!B次元官网网址�
Hubbell and Donohue could have their silver medals upgraded to gold in the team competition.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 no done deal yet, but I know all the people in the team want to receive the medals here as a teamB次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� Hubbell said. B次元官网网址淚f we miss that opportunity, itB次元官网网址檚 huge disappointment.B次元官网网址�
The IOC now says it will B次元官网网址渙rganize dignified medal ceremonies once the case of Ms Valieva has been concluded,B次元官网网址� whenever that may be.
B次元官网网址� The Associated Press
