Doping drama about Kamila Valiewa (15): Decision on Monday - and a number of open questions

Created: 02/13/2022, 10:45 p.m

By: Andreas Schmid

Suspected of doping: Russian figure skater Kamila Valiyeva.

© David J. Phillip/AP/dpa

The doping test of a 15-year-old Russian is positive.

The discussions are great, the criticism of Russia is loud.

The verdict is now awaited.

Beijing – Doping cases at the Olympic Games keep making headlines.

The case of fifteen-year-old Kamila Valiewa is currently causing a stir in Beijing.

On Monday, the International Court of Arbitration for Sport CAS wants to announce whether Valiyeva can continue to take part in the Winter Games despite a positive doping test.

But the discussions are no longer just about the Russian figure skating prodigy.

Doping case Kamila Valiewa: Now the International Court of Arbitration for Sport decides

Figure skater Valiewa won gold in the team competition in the first week of the Olympics.

Then it became known: The Russian tested positive for the stimulant trimetazidine in the run-up to the games on the fringes of the Russian Figure Skating Championships.

A heart drug that is on the Prohibited Substances List.

The Russian doping agency Rusada, which was unusually late in announcing the result of the test in question, suspended Valiyeva on February 8 before suspending the sentence after Valiyeva appealed.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) intervened, now the CAS decides.

After a special session lasting several hours on Sunday, the Sports Court wants to announce the decision on Monday.

Will Valiyeva continue to participate in the games or not?

The individual competition in figure skating starts on Tuesday, in which "Ice Princess" Valiyeva can win her second gold - if the legal thriller turns out in her favor and if she stays cool in the nerve-wracking situation.

Doping case Kamila Valiewa: Witt defends Russian - "cannot be surpassed in terms of inhumanity"

"We have to remember that a 15-year-old is in this situation," said Christophe Dubi, Executive Director of the IOC.

A girl who can hardly be considered a callous cheat - and is protected by many observers.

In this case, "a lot is still in the dark," said two-time Olympic figure skating champion Katarina Witt of the

.

“But if so, then the adults responsible would have to be banned from sport forever.

Knowingly asking a young athlete to do something like that cannot be surpassed in terms of inhumanity.”

According to the rules of the World Anti-Doping Agency, 15-year-old Valiyeva is a "protected person" as a minor.

If a doping offense is proven, the punishment can be lighter.

Her environment with trainer Eteri Tutberidse comes more into focus.

Witt says: As an athlete, “you follow the advice of your confidants, in this case the coaching and medical team.

You just trust them to know what's right and what's wrong.”

Valiyeva with her coach Eteri Tutberidze © Valery Sharifulin/Imago

Valiewa is now part of a debate that goes far beyond that positive doping test.

A debate that even suppressed the headlines in Beijing about corona measures or human rights violations.

The case even caused political tensions between Russia and the USA.

The questions that the International Olympic Committee in particular has to put up with are: Has Russia been sufficiently punished for the massive fraud at and after the 2014 games in Sochi?

Are the sanctions sufficient to bring about a sustainable cultural change?

And why are there still coaches and support staff with a dark past in the Russian team?

Doping and the Olympics: The Valiyeva case hits Russia in an explosive situation

The IOC at least assured that they wanted to shed light on the background.

"We have the Entourage Commission," spokesman Mark Adams said, "and we want WADA to investigate the team in this case." That team includes a coach whose harsh methods are notorious in the skating world, and a Doctor convicted of doping athletes.

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The IOC is also already talking about a "rather tough sanction" for Russia and means the ban on the flag and the anthem from the games.

At the Olympics, Russian athletes compete under the name "Russian Olympic Committee" (ROC).

There are more than 200 in total. Coaches like Yuri Borodavko, who was banned for doping and led Alexander Bolschunov to cross-country skiing gold in China, are traveling with them.

At the end of 2019, WADA had banned Russia from major sporting events for four years, and the CAS halved the penalty, also on the grounds that they wanted to “encourage the next generation of Russian athletes to take part in clean sport”.

Athletes like Valiyeva, who is considered the greatest talent in figure sport and now faces an uncertain future.