Like the ones from I.O.C commissioned international testing agency (IT) announced early Friday morning that Russian figure skater Kamila Valiyeva has tested positive for a banned substance.
In a doping sample taken by the 15-year-old at the Russian championships on December 25, the illegal drug trimetadizine was detected. The positive finding was on February 8th, the day after the Olympics team-Competition revealed. Valiewa was then provisionally suspended. The Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) would have lifted this suspension after an objection by Valiyeva.
Sports court decides now
Like the International Testing Agency (IT) now explained, that will I.O.C against the RUSADA-Appeal decision. Whether Valiewa gets team gold and can take part in the individual competition next Tuesday (February 15, 2022) will be decided by the Sports Court CAS.
Valeva had on Monday (02/07/2022) with the team of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) won gold in the figure skating team competition together with Mark Kondratiuk (singles), Anastasia Mishina and Alexander Gallyamov (pairs), as well as Viktoria Sinizina and Nikita Kazalapov (ice dance). The awarding of the medals was then due to “legal problems” postponed – various media had already reported that it was a case of positive doping for Valeva.
Drug on the doping list since 2014
The drug trimetazidine is prescribed, among other things, for the prophylaxis of angina. It can also be used to keep blood flowing through the heart during strenuous exercise. The substance has been on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s banned list since 2014 WADA. The Chinese swimming star Sun Yang was also caught with the drug in 2014 and for three months.
Russia’s athletes under surveillance
Russia’s athletes are also under particular scrutiny in Beijing. The country is blocked because of the scandal of state-organized doping and the cover-up of sports fraud, as it was at the Summer Games in Tokyo. The Russian athletes may only represent the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) compete. The Russian anthem may not be played and the flag may not be hoisted at award ceremonies.
The super talent Valiewa is one of the most prominent faces among the Russian athletes at the Winter Games. It was only this season that she made her adult debut, which she made in January EM-Title. In the Olympic team competition, she had won the women’s freestyle by a clear margin, making her the top favorite for the individual competition.