When the champion is considered invisible at the Beijing Olympics

 When the champion is considered invisible at the Beijing Olympics

Kamila Valieva is allowed to continue competing at the Beijing Olympics but there will be no medal ceremony if she is in the top 3 overall.

On February 14, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled in favor of the decision of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) on the case of Kamila Valieva. That means that the 15-year-old female athlete continues to compete at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Games. However, the matter has not stopped there.

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Valieva will return to the field on the evening of February 15. Photo: Reuters.

Valieva is considered invisible

Immediately after the CAS ruled in Valieva's favor, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had to hold consultations with the National Olympic Commissioners (NOCs) which resulted in the decision not to hold the Valieva-related ceremonies. in Beijing 2022.

"In the equitable interest of all athletes and the NOCs involved, it would not be appropriate to hold a medal ceremony for the women's team figure skating event at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, because it includes an athlete who tested positive and has yet to be identified in violation of anti-doping rules," the IOC statement read.

The IOC said that if Valieva finished in the top 3 in the women's singles skating competition, there would be no flower and medal ceremony at the Beijing 2022 Olympics. The IOC also asked the International Skating Union (ISU) to allow the movement. 25th member to participate in the final competition on February 17, if Valieva is in the group of 24 athletes who qualified for the competition on February 15.

"The IOC, in consultation with the athletes and the NOCs involved, will hold formal medal ceremonies after Valieva's case is concluded," the statement added.

This means that Valieva is considered invisible in the individual competition. When she stepped out onto the stage to perform on the evening of February 15, her competition was considered canceled in front of a global television audience. A figure skating prodigy becomes the latest face of international sport to be embroiled in a doping scandal.

Valieva was the star who helped the Russian Olympic Committee win the gold medal in the women's figure skating event a week ago. However, less than 24 hours later, she was informed by RUSADA that the doping sample provided on December 25, 2021 was positive for a banned substance and was temporarily suspended.

The 15-year-old skater appealed and RUSADA's Disciplinary Committee allowed Valieva to stay and continue to compete at the Beijing Olympics. But the International Inspection Agency (ITA) appealed to the CAS on behalf of the IOC.

One more Winter Olympics tainted with doping saga and it once again involves Russian athletes.

At the 2022 Beijing Olympics, athletes from Russia competed as the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) sports delegation, rather than under their national flag and name. The reason is because they are being punished by the International Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) after the doping scandal at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.

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The 15-year-old female athlete will not be awarded a medal at the Beijing Olympics. Photo: Reuters.

Valieva's special case

There are many questions raised on the sidelines of Valieva's case. That is why the test results were not available until February 8 even though the sample was taken from the end of December last year. When was RUSADA notified by the laboratory and was there a delay in notifying Valieva herself?

When athletes are selected for the Olympics, why not have any sample testing, with oversight by relevant agencies like ITA, WADA or even the IOC itself.

The CAS ruling on February 14 stated: "It was not Valieva's fault to announce a positive result so late, as she was competing in the Olympics. The jury found that preventing Valieva from competing at the Olympic Games was not the fault of Valieva. The Olympics will cause her irreparable damage."

The CAS ruled in Valieva's favor in part because she was a minor, known as a "conservatee" and entitled to a different set of rules than an adult athlete, under the WADA Code.

Valieva is considered the leading candidate for the gold medal in the women's individual figure skating. The 15-year-old girl holds the world record for this content and has made a great contribution to helping the ROC women's team win the team gold. In her competition, Valieva successfully performed a 4-round jump to become the first female athlete to do this at the Olympics.

At that time, the women's team medal ceremony could not take place because the organizers received information that Valieva was positive for trimetazidine, which has been on the list of prohibited substances of WADA since 2014.