It was a dramatic finale with a tragic end for Kamila Valiyeva. The only 15-year-old figure skater missed an Olympic medal. ARD expert Katarina Witt was completely dissolved – and burst into tears.
Kamila Valiyeva narrowly missed out on an Olympic medal. The 15-year-old figure skater, who had been accused of doping in the past few days, could not withstand the pressure and only finished fourth in the freestyle final.
Valiyewa cried after her performance, was visibly affected and upset – just like ARD expert Katarina Witt, who followed Valiyewa’s freestyle together with presenter Jessy Wellmer from the studio in Mainz and then burst into tears live on TV.
Katarina Witt: The two-time Olympic champion in figure skating burst into tears after Valiyeva’s performance. (Source: Screenshot ARD @Schodizzle/imago images)
Witt: “Can you please switch off?”
“It’s unbearable. You don’t even look anymore who’s first, second or third. She’s fourth, it really doesn’t matter. Exactly what you should have protected her from has happened. She’s 15, she’s still there a child. I’m sorry. You see her sitting there collapsing,” a completely distraught Witt cried on ARD before stopping briefly. “Can you please switch off?” Turned away from the camera in a conversation with Wellmer before continuing.
“She was a shadow of herself when she went out there. She couldn’t win here in this whole game. If she had won and been an Olympic champion, there would have been whispers. What has happened now is the worst of all. She is broke on it. They threw them to the world to eat.”
“I can not find any words”
Even before the freestyle, Witt had hoped “that she would make it. That she would say at the age of 15: ‘I can do it.’ “But political pressure was put on her, I can hardly find the words. Some mom should have taken her out and put her on the plane (home, editor’s note). Three months away. Away from all this hustle and bustle before this whole tsunami came over them. (…) I don’t know if we’ll ever see this talent, this 15-year-old girl again. I could go crazy. It’s so irresponsible what has been done here.”
The Valiyeva case must be a signal for the future: “Everyone is rushing at her now. She has the talent. It’s incredible what kind of charisma she has. I hope she survives it and that she comes back. But I do I’m almost afraid that she won’t make it. It’s time for this sport to think about whether there shouldn’t be an age limit.”
“One should have acted much more responsibly”
She also made her coaching team responsible: “As an athlete, you first have to grow into this competitive battle. As an adult, you can make your own decisions – she is 15. There are moral, ethical and emotional rights. You would have them in her fall back.” You should have acted much more “responsibly. When you see how she sat there like a heap of misery among the adults when the points were awarded.
Witt was in complete disarray – couldn’t even remember the medal winners. “Who actually became Olympic champion now? To be honest, I didn’t even notice that, I have to admit.”
Valiyeva’s compatriots Anna Shcherbakowa (gold) and Alexandra Trussowa (silver) and Kaori Sakamoto from Japan (bronze) had occupied the podium. Valiewa was only fourth and deep sadness.
Katharina Witt: The ARD expert apologized to moderator Wellmer and the audience in front of the television for their emotional outburst. (Source: Screenshot ARD @platschinho)
Expert Witt, who finally wished for a “rethinking towards long-term and sustainability” in her sport, apologized at the end for her emotional outburst. But moderator Wellmer stepped in.
“No, you don’t have to apologize at all,” Wellmer told Witt. “You should look at two things separately: on the one hand a human tragedy, and on the other hand a case, a doping case that is still ongoing. It’s extremely difficult to look at them separately after this freestyle. But we will do that too.”