Kamila Valieva: Anti-doping Case and Follow-ups

[BlissfulSynergy]

They still have 30 days to appeal, which I think is likely.

I wish the link to the CAS findings was posted here, as it was in the original thread. I don't see it in the first post here.

Having read the reported CAS ruling, please note that the arbitrators said their decision is binding. But that a limited appeal could be made. I think that means the ban will stand as is. There are only certain limited aspects of the ruling that can be appealed. I doubt they can appeal the disqualification of Valieva's competition results.

 

[AquaSeas]

They still have 30 days to appeal, which I think is likely.

Otherwise I still think its a bit tricky for the team event. It isn't clear if they will just discard her results of her whole teams.

Does anyone know how it works for other sports? I know is relay it's the whole team, but what about hockey or basketball?

In swimming and track & field relays, if one athlete is DQ’d all athletes in the team take the hit and the team is DQ’d.
likewise in paddling, if one athlete in the boat is DQ’d, the entire team in the boat is DQ’d.
But this is figure skating, where the rules are played with loose and fast, so who knows what the governing bodies will decide.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

They still have 30 days to appeal, which I think is likely.

Otherwise I still think its a bit tricky for the team event. It isn't clear if they will just discard her results of her whole teams.

Does anyone know how it works for other sports? I know is relay it's the whole team, but what about hockey or basketball?

A Russian reporter who lives in the U.S., stated on TSL not too long ago, that if Valieva's 2024 Olympic team results are disallowed, the rest of the Russian team's numbers would place them in fourth, behind Canada.

But yes, @AquaSeas , you are right. There is no way to figure what the ISU and the IOC will decide regarding the awarding of medals. There are any number of scenarios they could decide. Hopefully, if they just go with the total numbers, minus Valieva, it would be: U.S. - gold; Japan - silver; Canada - bronze; Russia - 4th place ...

ETA: Apparently, there is a way to figure what will happen, if the governing bodies follow their own guidelines, as referenced by another poster downthread.

 

[lariko]

Glad to hear that the sober, just decision was reached, free of the emotional and nationalistic spins. I hope that this clears way to clean athletes to breath freer even if secretly.

 

[midori green]

Am I reading correctly that this statment says Kamila accepted that the TMZ was present in her sample and that she was not able to establish that it was unintentional? So they found that she intentionally took something that she knew could result in a doping violation? If so, that's...interesting.

 

[brakes]

I still can't believe how savvy, cunning Russian skating feds put a doper on national Olympic team wasting gold medal, having two other top world class skaters available. It's so pathetic and laughable, that I expect some heads to fall off.
Likely in secret, but somehow somebody is going to pay.

 

[skatingguy]

Does anyone know how it works for other sports? I know is relay it's the whole team, but what about hockey or basketball?

There are several examples over the years of athletes in team sports testing positive for banned substances. In most instances only the individual athlete was banned, and the team's results have remained.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

@brakes, the Russian reporter who was on TSL, in recent months, also shook her head about why Russian officials would take such a chance. She said they would have been smarter to not put Valieva in the team event, thus only Valieva would have been affected by eventual outcomes regarding her test results, not the entire Russian team (not to mention all the athletes from other countries).

 

[SmileHappy34]

All I will say is
Kamila Valieva can compete at the 2026 Olympics.
I hope people can feel relief that is resolved .

 

[lariko]

There are several examples over the years of athletes in team sports testing positive for banned substances. In most instances only the individual athlete was banned, and the team's results have remained.

Given the delay in what could have been expected in respect to TAT, there is some probability, but I frankly would prefer that team win was annulled to drive the point home that handling of the case by the Russian Fed was incorrect (to say mildly).

 

[brakes]

@brakes, the Russian reporter who was on TSL, in recent months, also shook her head about why Russian officials would take such a chance. She said they would have been smarter to not put Valieva in the team event, thus only Valieva would have been affected by eventual outcomes regarding her test results, not the entire Russian team (not to mention all the athletes from other countries).

Yes, I watched that episode.

If you learn about how historically Soviet/Russian state had been approaching big international sporting events like Olympics, you know this is unthinkable failure. They will keep straight faces, but top officials must be super angry. I bet axe has already been handed over with clear instructions.

 

[4everchan]

I am not sure how Russian officials would have known ahead of time of Valieva's risks. They went with the information they had and put their best skater on the team. I don't understand the logic behind these comments. As if everyone already knew.

 

[4everchan]

All I will say is
Kamila Valieva can compete at the 2026 Olympics.
I hope people can feel relief that is resolved .

She technically could if she has time to get her TES minimums. Her 4 year ban starts December 25th 2021. Lifted 4 years later that brings her after Russian Nationals - unless Russia does something else about this. The Olympic Games start on February 6th. There is probably a deadline for entries. I am not saying it's impossible, but the timeline is very tight.

 

[brakes]

I am not sure how Russian officials would have known ahead of time of Valieva's risks. They went with the information they had and put their best skater on the team. I don't understand the logic behind these comments. As if everyone already knew.

There is 0% chance they didn't know. Just thought they're getting away with it.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

It's quite simple ROC is stripped of gold, although it is quite unfair because if the result had been returned 28 hours earlier then Kamila would have been replaced and ROC would have just as easily won gold.

Just another strange, bizarre set of circumstances in this case. What are the odds?

If it was known that test results were outstanding for Valieva, which I believe it was known, precautions should have been taken. As many observers have said, including the Russian journalist I noted earlier, it would have made sense not to select Valieva for the team event, particularly not for both sp and fp. Especially when they had two other equally capable athletes available who were not awaiting doping test results.

 

[TontoK]

I am not sure how Russian officials would have known ahead of time of Valieva's risks. They went with the information they had and put their best skater on the team. I don't understand the logic behind these comments. As if everyone already knew.

Yes, my understanding of the timeline is that they didn't know until the Team Event had completed.

Of COURSE they wouldn't have entered her if they had known.

It's irrelevant to the outcome of this case... but it's not fair for anyone to imply that they intentionally entered an athlete in the Team Event that they knew would come under scrutiny. In fact, I think it's because she was part of the Team Event that they fought so hard. I mean from a Russian perspective, who cares about Valieva? Their women still finished 1-2. It's the loss of the Team gold that stings.

 

[4everchan]

Yes, my understanding of the timeline is that they didn't know until the Team Event had completed.

Of COURSE they wouldn't have entered her if they had known.

Yes, that is the official statement

It's irrelevant to the outcome of this case... but it's not fair for anyone to imply that they intentionally entered an athlete in the Team Event that they knew would come under scrutiny. In fact, I think it's because she was part of the Team Event that they fought so hard. I mean from a Russian perspective, who cares about Valieva? Their women still finished 1-2. It's the loss of the Team gold that stings.

I agree.

There is 0% chance they didn't know. Just thought they're going away with it.

Well that's a slippery slope. If that were true, why would you then assume that everyone else was clean? Maybe they just thought they were going to get away with it too. Do we really know that only her test samples were delayed, not anyone else's ? Who said that? I am not willing to go there personally.

 

[norwegianfairytale]

She technically could if she has time to get her TES minimums. Her 4 year ban starts December 25th 2021. Lifted 4 years later that brings her after Russian Nationals - unless Russia does something else about this. The Olympic Games start on February 6th. There is probably a deadline for entries. I am not saying it's impossible, but the timeline is very tight.

Yeah that is one thing. The other thing is we don´t know yet if when the Russian athletes will be allowed to compete again. And if they do, we don´t know how many spots they will have, because they would need to earn them back too in time.

Also, we don´t know if the Fed would even give her a spot, because she might not even amongst the top athlete - just look at the juniors and their content. It will also not be possible for her to be back in time for Europeans because she can´t get the minimums in time, and the European team is most likely also the team for Olympics.

I will be very surprised if we see Kamila at OG 2026.

 

[lariko]

I am not sure how Russian officials would have known ahead of time of Valieva's risks. They went with the information they had and put their best skater on the team. I don't understand the logic behind these comments. As if everyone already knew.

I mean the disgraceful behavior after the test came to light, if you refer to my comment.

 

[4everchan]

I mean the disgraceful behavior after the test came to light, if you refer to my comment.

I was referring to two other comments.. but thanks for your explanation.