MONTREAL – United States officials welcomed the four-year ban handed down to Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva on Jan 29, describing the decision as a victory for clean athletes around the world.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) made the announcement to suspend the 17-year-old for failing a doping test before the 2022 Winter Olympics.
United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) chief executive officer Sarah Hirshland also said that the US skaters – who are poised to be awarded gold medals from the Winter Games belatedly – will soon receive the recognition they deserve.
“Today is a day we have been eagerly awaiting for two years, as it is a significant win not only for Team USA athletes but also for athletes worldwide who practise fair play and advocate for clean sport,” she said in a statement.
“We take immense pride in the United States figure skating team... they embody the spirit and principles of the Olympic movement.
“We now anticipate the day when we can wholeheartedly celebrate these athletes, along with their peers from around the world. Their moment is approaching, and when it arrives, it will serve as a testament to the justice and recognition they truly deserve.”
Valieva was just 15 when she tested positive, raising questions not just about her guilt and the Russian Olympic system after the Sochi Winter Games of 2014, but also how she was treated as a minor, the way the test was conducted and the value of the drug involved for enhancing performance.
In Beijing in February 2022, Valieva became the first female skater to land a quadruple jump in Olympic competition, helping Russia secure gold in the team event.
It was confirmed on Jan 30 that Russia will be demoted to bronze, while Japan and the US will now take silver and gold respectively.
The day after the Russians won gold, Valieva was told she had tested positive before the Games for trimetazidine, a drug used to treat angina but banned for athletes.
Her legal team claimed then that she might have ingested it from a contaminated glass of water that contained traces of her grandfather’s heart medication.
The case came to the CAS following Valieva’s exoneration by Russia’s anti-doping agency (Rusada).
The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) and the International Skating Union then appealed against Rusada’s ruling, as did Rusada itself. The appeal was heard in September.
The United States Anti-Doping Agency (Usada) also welcomed the ruling but said justice had been “denied” by the two years it had taken to resolve the case.
Its chief executive officer Travis Tygart said: “While any sense of true justice has been denied by the unbelievable and unnecessary delay in this case, we are incredibly pleased for clean athletes... (that) this sad saga has finally come to an end.
“At the same time, our hearts hurt for yet another Russian athlete who the system has failed.”
Wada was also pleased with the decision.
“The doping of children is unforgivable,” it said in a statement, which also called for action under its code against doctors, coaches and other support personnel who have provided performance-enhancing substances to minors.
“Wada encourages governments to consider passing legislation – as some have done already – making the doping of minors a criminal offence.”
Russia, on the other hand, slammed what it called a “politicised” decision by the CAS.
“Of course, we don’t agree with it... of course, it’s politicised,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian news agencies.
The Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) said the decision proved that “war has been declared on Russian sport”.
“The CAS decision is negative, but it has long been impossible to count on the objectivity and impartiality of this international structure,” ROC said.
It added that it “will closely follow the further steps and decisions of international sports organisations and, if necessary, take appropriate measures to legally protect Russian interests”. AFP, REUTERS
