IOC president Thomas Bach says it was "chilling" to see the "tremendous coldness" between Russian skater Kamila Valieva and her entourage after Thursday's free skate at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.
The 15-year-old Valieva finished fourth in the women's figure skating competition after an error-strewn performance at the Beijing Capital Stadium.
She had placed first after the short program on Tuesday despite stumbling uncharacteristically during a triple axel and leaving the ice in tears.
As she again exited the ice with tears streaming down her face, controversial coach Eteri Tutberidze asked her: "Why did you stop fighting?"
She only put her arm across Valieva's shoulder as she sat sobbing next to her in the so-called kiss and cry area while waiting for her results.
"When I afterwards saw how she was received by her closest entourage with what appeared to be a tremendous coldness, it was chilling to see this, rather than giving her comfort, rather than to try to help her," Bach said.
"How to deal, how to address, how to treat a minor athlete at the age of 15 under such an obvious mental stress.
"I am very concerned."
Valieva had tested positive for a banned substance on December 25 but her test result was not revealed until February 8, after Valieva competed in the team event at the Winter Games.
RUSADA, the Russian anti-doping agency upheld her appeal against the automatic suspension but the IOC, International Skating Union (ISU) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) all appealed against that decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
CAS upheld the RUSADA decision citing the "serious issues" of the "untimely notification" of the results of her positive test from the lab in Sweden, her status as a minor, and that banning her from competing at the Games would "cause her irreparable harm".
However, after witnessing a distraught Valieva sobbing uncontrollably after last night's performance, plenty were left questioning that decision.
Bach said Valieva was being offered "all the support available" while in Beijing, adding that the decision to allow Valieva to compete despite being under so much crushing pressure was out of the hands of the IOC.
"I can only wish for her that she has the support of her family, the support of her friends and the support of people who help her over this extremely difficult situation," Bach said.
"We thought that … for different reasons, it would not be advisable that she compete. Nevertheless, we lost this court case and had to follow it."
Bach also defended the late decision by the IOC to challenge the decision initially made by RUSADA to uphold Valieva's appeal against her automatic suspension for failing the test and being able to stay at the Games.
"You do not solve a problem by ignoring it," he said.
"There is a positive case, there is the responsibility of all the governing bodies to ensure a fair competition and this is the responsibility we took.
"That this happened 48 hours before is not our responsibility.
"Even if it was two hours before the competition, our responsibility is to ensure a fair competition."
Bach said those who administered the drug to Valieva was the ones who were guilty and should be punished.
WADA has said it will investigate Valieva's entourage.
"Now, the enquiry into the entourage who is responsible to protect her, this has to follow," Bach said.
"I hope this will bring full clarity … that the full truth is coming to light and the people who are responsible for this, that they will be held responsible for this … in the strongest possible way.
"We are following the rule of law and we are feeling at the same time with a minor — a 15-year-old girl, who obviously has a drug in her body that should not be in her body — the ones who administered this drug in her body, these are the ones who are guilty."
