The International Testing Agency has confirmed that Kamila Valieva is the Russian figure skater whose failed drug test has been holding back the medal ceremony for the team figure skating at the Winter Olympics.
The 15-year-old helped the Russian Olympic Committee to win gold in the event on Monday, but the medals were not given out due to a ‘legal issue’.
It was soon reported that that legal issue was a failed drug test by one of the Russian athletes, with the ITA now confirming their identity as being Valieva.
With a verdict over her appearance at the rest of the Winter Olympics still to come, Valieva today trained on the ice ahead of next Tuesday’s competition.
Rehearsing her routine to Ravel’s Bolero, the soundtrack Torvill and Dean immortalised with their gold medal performance in Sarajevo 38 years, the youngster with the cares of the world on her shoulders fell twice.
As she left the ice, she covered her face with a training top. Disturbingly there were no team officials on hand to shield her from questions aimed in her direction.
Meanwhile, in a statement, the ITA revealed that Valieva had failed a test taken ahead of the Beijing Games on Christmas Day.
Her sample returned an “Adverse Analytical Finding” for the trimetazidine - a metabolic agent that helps prevent angina attacks and treats the symptoms of vertigo - which is listed as a prohibited substance by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
Valieva was suspended by the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) after the test was confirmed as being positive for a banned substance on February 8.
That suspension would have automatically prohibited Valieva from competing in Beijing, with the ITA immediately informing her that she would be prevented from competing, training, coaching, or participating in any activity during the Games.
The ITA state that Valieva challenged the suspension the next day with RUSADA agreeing to lift it, with a hearing taking place before Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The committee voted to lift the suspension, paving the way for her to compete at this year’s Games, with the ITA and IOC still waiting for the reasoned decision to be published.
But before it can be published, the ITA have now announced that the IOC have exercised their right to appeal the lifting on the ban, with the team figure skating medal ceremony in limbo until the case is heard of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
“The IOC will exercise its right to appeal and not to wait for the reasoned decision by RUSADA, because a decision is needed before the next competition the athlete is due to take part in (Women Single Skating, 15 February 2022),” the ITA said in a statement.
“Following the delegation of the IOC’s anti-doping program in relation to the Olympic Games to the ITA, the ITA will lead the appeal before CAS on behalf of the IOC.
“The proceedings on the merits of the apparent anti-doping rule violation, including the athlete’s right to request the analysis of the B-sample, will be pursued by RUSADA in due course.
“The decision on the results of the ROC team in the Team Figure Skating event can be taken by the ISU only after a final decision on the full merits of the case has been taken.
“The procedure, which is initiated currently, can only address the provisional suspension.
“Given that the legal process for this case is not finally concluded, the ITA will not provide any additional comments.”
IOC spokesman Mark Adams said at a briefing: ”What is clear is we want to expedite this as quickly as possible. It’s a legal issue and they can be complicated.
“Legal cases are difficult but it’s important that people get full justice. For all concerned, not just the Russian athlete, we need a resolution and we are working as fast as we can to get that.
"Such cases are not helpful to the Games, these cases need to be prosecuted properly and due process needs to be applied. People need to have confidence in the decisions taken.”
The United States finished in silver, Japan took bronze and Canada were fourth in the team figure skating, with Valieva the favourite to claim the gold medal in the women's singles on Tuesday.
Across town Britain’s dispiriting first week at these Games continued with Bruce Mouat’s highly-fancied men’s curling team suffering their first defeat.
Twenty four hours after beating Italy, Mouat, Grant Hardie, Bobby Lammie, and Hammy McMillan lost 9-7 to holders USA.
Worse followed up in the mountains in skeleton, Britain’s gold medal sport in each of the last three Games.
Laura Deas, bronze medalist four years ago, could manage no better than 21st in each of her first two runs, ahead of Brogan Crowley.
“It’s certainly not the outcome I wanted,” said Deas. I came to the start block in a great frame of mind. I can’t tell you now why the speed wasn’t there.”
Elsewhere, there were smiles but no medals for two American greats Mikaela Shiffrin and Shaun White.
Shiffrin, favoured for five medals here, failed to finish in her first two events but at least completed the Super-G, albeit in ninth place.
Three-time gold medalist White, in his farewell appearance, took fourth in snowboarding’s halfpipe final after crashing on his final run.
”I wish I could have landed my last run,” he said tearfully. “But I was having some difficulty in my back leg for some reason, it was giving out on every run, I don't know why.
"Maybe it was the pressure, maybe it was just exhaustion.
"Really challenging, but that's OK, that's it, I'm done. I'm so thankful for my career, thankful to China for having us.
"A lot of emotions are hitting me right now. Snowboarding, thank you. It's been the love of my life.”
