Kamila Valieva: Anti-doping Case and Follow-ups

[WhiteCat]

Zheleznyakov liked it

 

[NaVi]

I used Wikipedia's What Linked Here function to get a sense of how many people have been caught with trimetazidine, when they were caught, and how much punishment they received. I searched both the English and Russian wikipedias.

2014
Sun Yang (Swimmer) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_Yang#2014_ban Controversial 3 month ban.
Yuriy Andronov (Race Walker) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuriy_Andronov 2 year ban
Kseniya Ryzhova (Sprinter) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kseniya_Ryzhova 9 month ban
Marina Lisogor (Cross Country Skier) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marina_Lisogor Can't find ban length. Test positive at 2014 Olympics where results were nullified
Geno Petriashvili (Wrestler) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geno_Petriashvili 6 month ban. Said he had been taking it as a child ever since he had been kidnapped.

2015
Nikolai Vedehin (Runner)- http://www.marathon100.com/est/uudi...dopingu-reeglite-rikkumise-eest-voistluskeeld 4 year ban. He also tried to manipulate his sample.
Hanna Drabenia (Race Walker) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanna_Drabenia 2 year ban

2016
Sergey Fedorovtsev (Rower) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergey_Fedorovtsev 4 year ban
Vasily Kopeikin (Long Jumper) - https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Копейкин,_Василий_Анатольевич 4 year ban

2018
Nadezhda Sergeeva (Bobsledder) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nadezhda_Sergeeva If I'm interpreting this right, CAS agreed that trimetazidine came from a contaminated product and basically set the ban length to time served which was about 8 months. https://www.yahoo.com/now/russian-b...ts-eight-month-doping-ban-184219428--oly.html
Madisyn Cox (Swimmer) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madisyn_Cox Initial 4 year ban which became a 2 year ban when she testified that she did not knowingly ingest a PED. Later the source was found to be a multivitamin and the ban was reduced to 6 months.

Cox was banned from competition for six months after a urine sample taken in February 2018 tested positive for trimetazidine. FINA initially reduced her suspension from four years to two years because of Cox's testimony that she did not knowingly ingest the performance-enhancing drug, but would not reduce it further without evidence of the source of the trimetazidine.[8] Upon analysis of both opened and sealed bottles of Cooper Complete Elite Athletic multivitamins, the Court of Arbitration for Sport determined that the multivitamins were the source, and reduced Cox's suspension to six months. The suspension expired on September 3, 2018.

Ivan Yershov (Footballer) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_Yershov_(footballer) He tested positive for both meldomium and trimetazidine and admitted using them both and received a 4 year ban.

2019
Zelimkhan Khadjiev (Wrestler) - https://www.20minutes.fr/sport/jo/3...mp-entrainement-patineuse-russe-kamia-valieva (not on wikipedia) 4 year suspension. (I think some sources say 2020, but I'm pretty sure that's when he was given a suspension and not when he gave the sample)

Here's a search for case documents that mention trimetazidine: https://jurisprudence.tas-cas.org/_layouts/15/osssearchresults.aspx?u=https://jurisprudence.tas-cas.org&k=trimetazidine

 

[Martins123]

Sorry to be a pest but can someone explain sample A and sample B to me?

Why is there two? Is it from the same peeing session?

As I understand it, they take two samples at a time: A and B. Sample A is processed and it's normally left at that. But if something goes wrong with one (e.g. perhaps it gets lost) then they'll have another. And as we can see here, if someone tests positive they have the right to ask for the B sample to be tested.

 

[gsk8]

CAS statement released today:

Beijing, 12 February 2022 – The Ad Hoc Division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) provides the following update on the arbitration procedures relating to Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva: A third application (filed by the International Skating Union (ISU)) has now been registered against the decision issued by the RUSADA Disciplinary Anti-Doping Committee on 9 February 2022 (the Challenged Decision) in which the provisional suspension imposed on Kamila Valieva following the detection of the banned substance trimetazidine in a sample provided by her was lifted, allowing her to continue her participation in the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022.

The case references are:
CAS OG 22/08 International Olympic Committee (IOC) v. Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA)
CAS OG 22/09 World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) v. Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) and Kamila Valieva
CAS OG 22/10 International Skating Union (ISU) v. Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA), Kamila Valieva and Russian Olympic Committee (ROC)

The applications were received at the CAS Ad Hoc Division in Beijing at 20:45 and 22:20 on Friday, 11 February 2022, and at 09:15 on Saturday, 12 February 2022 (Beijing time). The three procedures are handled together and have been referred to the same panel of arbitrators:

President: Mr Fabio Iudica, Italy
Arbitrators: Mr Jeffrey Benz, United States of America
Dr Vesna Bergant Rakočeviċ, Slovenia

The Panel has issued procedural directions to the parties including the holding of a hearing by videoconference on Sunday, 13 February at 8:30pm (Beijing time).

Following the hearing, the Panel will deliberate and prepare the Arbitral Award containing its decision. It is anticipated that the decision will be notified to the parties in the afternoon of Monday, 14 February 2022.

 

[[email protected]]

I know what scenarios are, that's why I asked what you think.

What I think? I think that all competition-level athletes use vitamins, supplements, and drugs. They use them for PE and recovery purposes. The game is to stay ahead of WADA using the stuff which is not yet banned. Alternatively, the game is to apply for TUE when the athletes are "cleared" to use forbidden substances because there is no other way for them to be competitive (isn't TUE a weird concept in the first place?)

If there exist "true" clean athletes who take nothing but regular food the obvious solution is to make it official: no artificially made substances should be taken because they change "the normal functions of the body". Let's make the sport truly "clean". Then no lists will be necessary to avoid comparisons of mildronate with some beta-carotene containing supplements which are still widely used by Western athletes.

Now going back to Valieva. Do they give vitamins and stuff to skaters? I am sure they do. Do they know what is in the WADA list and what they are not allowed to give? 100% Would they intentionally assume the risk and give her the stuff which is forbidden if there was even the slightest chance of being caught? I think that they would go for it only if it made the difference for making Kamila who she is - the GOAT. I am sure that Lans Armstrong would not be who he was without EPO that he took for years. Do we have the same case with Valieva? Highly unlikely. She did not need it and she skated perfectly during Europeans with no presence of any forbidden substance in her. Then I don't think so. Then how it get into the sample?

With the existing evidence: nothing was detected before and after and it was a very small dosage - I think that it was either unintentional wrongdoing by TT crew or intentional wrongdoing from external parties without any Valieva's involvement. The second will, surely, be accused as a conspiracy theory. But again where is the red line between logical assumptions and unfounded conspiracies?

The only case when I change my mind and I will admit that there are some foul games is if she tests positive in Beijing. Then yes, I will agree that there was no conspiracy - just the ultimate stupidity of TT and Russian figure skating officials. The question is when the results of Kamila's Olympic drug test become available?

 

[Amer]

Just as I expected. They’ll wait to make a decision right before the start of the woman’s SP.
Keep everyone (especially the skaters) in suspense until then.

 

[Martins123]

The only case when I change my mind and I will admit that there are some foul games is if she tests positive in Beijing. Then yes, I will agree that there was no conspiracy - just the ultimate stupidity of TT and Russian figure skating officials. The question is when the results of her Olympic drug test become available?

I believe a negative test has already been reported?

 

[[email protected]]

I have no idea how your response has anything to do with what I said specifically about posters here. Deflection.

It was a loaded question - you received the loaded answer. In fact, the Russians would not care less if something was found in Kaori Sakamoto's urine. The example I gave you concerned the athlete that mattered. Not only was she proclaimed the GOAT - she took a lot of gold medals that Russian athletes without PE under TUE could have earned. And even then when all these TUE data was published there was nothing compared with the hysteria that we have now. It was basically ignored because it just confirmed what we already knew: different strokes for different folks.

And if you meant non-Russian posters, then sorry - I did not get it and I have no idea what the discussion will be.

 

[cake]

Just as I expected. They’ll wait to make a decision right before the start of the woman’s SP.
Keep everyone (especially the skaters) in suspense until then.

How fast do you expect them to be? Normally such court procedures take weeks or even months.

 

[solani]

As I understand it, they take two samples at a time: A and B. Sample A is processed and it's normally left at that. But if something goes wrong with one (e.g. perhaps it gets lost) then they'll have another. And as we can see here, if someone tests positive they have the right to ask for the B sample to be tested.

Yes, they split the urine sample and fill it into two bottles - sample A and sample B. And the tests are solely performed on sample A, sample B is used only if the athlete wants it to be tested.
But I don't know what happens if they lose a bottle. My guess is that they can throw the second bottle and all analytical findings into the bin. I'm pretty sure they can't build a case with only one sample bottle.

 

[NaVi]

President: Mr Fabio Iudica, Italy
Arbitrators: Mr Jeffrey Benz, United States of America
Dr Vesna Bergant Rakočeviċ, Slovenia

Fun fact:


I don't think this is a good panel for Valieva(also looked into the background of the other two judges) but I'm not sure it would matter for letting her skate in the individual event. Even in the 2 cases where ingestion was deemed accidental via tainted supplements there was still bans put in place and there is no way in a week they could prove it was accidental.

 

[bigsisjiejie]

OK. So ISU has officially entered the fray with its own application against the RUSADA decision. Which is consolidated with the other two for purposes of this hearing. But opens the door for future action concerning not only the European championship result, but also future ISU competitions, as those fall under ISU jurisdiction not IOC.

 

[brakes]

With the existing evidence: nothing was detected before and after and it was a very small dosage - I think that it was either unintentional wrongdoing by TT crew or intentional wrongdoing from external parties without any Valieva's involvement. The second will, surely, be accused as a conspiracy theory. But again where is the red line between logical assumptions and unfounded conspiracies?

What do you mean by that?

 

[Amei]

I believe a negative test has already been reported?

Yes, the statement by ROC has said that the Beijing test came back negative for any banned substance (see post #1 for the statement) Unfortunately that doesn't negate the positive test in December, the only test that i think could negate it is the Sample B from December coming back negative.

 

[[email protected]]

I believe a negative test has already been reported?

Was it? Then answering brakes question I don't believe that there was any intentional wrongdoing. Therefore, if no lab mistakes are considered it was either a misfortunate coincidence or a deliberate conspiracy to "hit where it hurts most".

 

[figureskatingandrainbows]

Yes, they split the urine sample and fill it into two bottles - sample A and sample B. And the tests are solely performed on sample A, sample B is used only if the athlete wants it to be tested.
But I don't know what happens if they lose a bottle. My guess is that they can throw the second bottle and all analytical findings into the bin. I'm pretty sure they can't build a case with only one sample bottle.

One of the delays in this case will be the testing of the B sample, which Kamila can request (and I think she has to be present as they test it?). If it comes back positive, there's almost no chance of a false positive and that does drastically lower the chance of tampering. If it's negative, there is a much stronger case to clear her of the violation.


Right now I just want Kamila to be safe. For her sake I hope she gets pulled out, because I cannot keep seeing her sobbing at practice and hiding from the media. It just breaks my heart. I'm worried that if she skates in the women's event it will either be a disaster or she will skate like she always does, and either way it would be so awful for her and her mental health. A disaster skate would be painful to watch, and a clean skate would win the gold medal and cause a massive backlash all over again. I wish she could have family with her right now, because I cannot believe she is going through this alone. I'm sending her all of the virtual hugs I can, and hopefully the media and the public stays kind to her. I'm seeing loads of backlash (rightfully) directed at Eteri and co, and I hope that everyone will continue to see Kamila as a 15-year-old victim and not a villain.

 

[Alex Fedorov]

I wonder if the people defending Team Tutberidze, acting like this is no big deal, gaslighting everybody like treating kids like they treat them is a-ok, would keep the same energy if instead of Kamila it would be an American or Japanese skater and Russia would be the country to gain in team medal standings?

it's very difficult to compare, because when American athletes are caught doping, there is usually no media noise. This is the difference, it is in this aspect that the clearly politicized attitude towards athletes from Russia is clearly visible.

Please note: already in this thread, many participants hastened to loudly declare that Russia should not be allowed to participate in any competitions at all. And today it became known that Richard Pound, the ex-president of WADA, who is now a member of the IOC, said that after the episode with Valieva, Russia should not be allowed to the next three Olympics, and Russia should also be banned from having a national Olympic committee.

The episode with Kamila, no matter how you treat it, is one (1) episode. I have previously published here the WADA statistics on detected doping cases - and it is clearly seen that the United States, Italy, France and even some other countries have more than once outstripped Russia in this criterion. And what - someone demanded the removal of these countries? No, nothing of the kind, such an idea never occurred to anyone. I have never heard any accusations against Belgium, for example, although if you compare the total number of Belgian athletes and the total number of Belgian doping cases, this is probably the world leader.

I can tell you that when Simone Biles failed in Tokyo, there were indeed many gloating in Russia. In our country, this particular athlete is considered the face of a real doping system, along with the "Norwegian asthmatics." By the way, a few years ago, Bjoerndalen openly said that he knows a too lot of athletes who use therapeutic exceptions without being sick. And I don’t hear anything from Pound, or from anyone else, of proposals not to allow Norway to the Olympics ...

 

[chuckm]

I think you're being overly strict with officials. Look, here's a scenario for you - one of the athletes at the Russian Championship performs a diversion against Kamila (for example, changes water bottles, or something else). This is not a very likely scenario, but everything happens in life. And now all this is like a terrible hammer blow to the head for everyone - the federation, the coaches, the athlete. And no "battle plans" are able to help you in any way.

Eteri doesn't allow her skaters to drink water during competitions, so changing water bottles wouldn't work.

 

[jenaj]

I have so many questions about the arbitration. Will there be testimony/sworn statements? Will there be a right of cross-examination? Will the arbitrators balance the hardship caused by their decision against the likelihood she will eventually be cleared? I think this could go either way, depending on what evidence the panel hears and the legal standard. If she is allowed to compete (and eventually cleared), I think whoever gave her the medicine and/or knew about it, should be suspended.

 

[Greengemmonster]

Is it too optimistic to pray for a clean skate and a negative sample B?????

So much crazy has happened I will hope for the craziest outcome.

I feel like I'm moving through the stages of grief and now I'm at "Bargaining"