Russian Skater caught with PEDs STILL allowed to compete.

Actually, #2 does not exonerate her. It is a mitigating factor, but she would still face penalty.

I have to admit you have point. If her committee knew she would not be cleared in the post-Olympics hearing, then I can easily see them instructing her to take the dive to de-escalate the situation. It would be their best option for the interests of the overall team.

And if she's innocent, the falls could easily be caused by the lynching she's been through.

It wouldn't be hard for the grandfather to have a sample of that drug since he would just have to get it from his granddaughter's house.  They must live pretty close to each other since he claims that he sometimes takes her to practice.

Regardless of how it got into her body, Valieva tested positive for a banned substance so it's unlikely that Russia will be allowed to have the team Gold medal that they thought they won a few days ago. The main question is what kind of penalty Valieva gets.

In rare cases a good excuse can reduce or eliminate a penalty. But an excuse won't get a record back or a medal back. Like when Ajee Wilson broke the American indoor record in the 800 a few years ago and then tested positive for a banned substance from what she claimed was tainted beef. The drug officials bought her excuse and Wilson avoided a penalty, but she wasn't allowed to keep the win or the record.

This thread is full of bs and total lack of understanding.

I won’t take the time to set it straight, you can go somewhere else to learn, or just stay ignorant.

2 things that come to mind:

1-Shcherbakova, the quiet champion. Have followed her since juniors. Always tries hard, always courteous, never vengeful, spiteful, or even envious. Hopefully she will now be permitted to EAT something.

2-You guys know that as a sprint guy, I’m kind of jacked. I really wanted to see Trusova lay out Nutberidze. She has always been independent and not really controllable—and look at how she rebuffed the attempted control by the coach...the arm around the shoulders, the close whispering. Good for her. I don’t even care what she was pissed about, I wanted to see her blow the whole thing wide open. Too bad the games are in China, had they been elsewhere maybe she could have defected on the spot. She should have showed more class toward Shcherbakova, though.

I am crushed for Valieva, but I saw one moment, one facial expression after the program, that gave me hope—a look that to me said “Fvck all this bullshiit!” loud and clear. The first expression of adult-level understanding I have ever seen from her. Maybe she will be ok.

What a circus, maybe the biggest since Ben Johnson. EVERY SINGLE THING these skaters do is controlled, just like with their dancers. The cloistered, controlled, and very possibly abused children bear absolutely no responsibility. IMO the Russian women’s figure skating program needs to be banned for at least the next Olympic cycle, for failure to provide appropriate care for minors under their charge. It is, for me, an unforgivable violation of humanity.

Trusova was a bit of mess in the one season she left Team Eteri, but she shouldn't have gone back. Maybe she should have chosen Mishin instead of Plushenko. I used to think Mishin was a creepy guy, but looking at the longevity of Tuktamysheva, maybe he has been doing something right.

But I really, really hope that all the top Russian women will move to Canada or US, and train under someone like Orser or Artynyun.

Agree with all that. Plush was a bad match from the outset, IMO. The problem with leaving is that they can become persona non grata, with all its difficulties. Even this time, they chose to go with the Nutberidze athlete Valieva, rather than pull her and put in Mishin’s Tuktamysheva, although they may well have come away with 3 medals anyway.

The Nutberidze edifice runs deep, there is a big connection and intrigue there, all the way to her time in the US and her daughter. It needs to be dismantled, and the assets spread around to guys like Mishin.

Also, they need to convince Misha Ge to come on board😂👍

The offence was in a comp 25 Dec.She could loose results but get no ban and thus keep team Olympics medal.

is skating even a sport? really? I judge who wins? Who cares if they dope

In order for Valieva to have the possibility to avoid a ban, the burden is on her to PROVE that she ingested a banned substance unknowingly. That's a high bar to clear.

Any athlete can come up with theories. Proof is much harder. Especially since no food has that particular banned substance in it. So far she is sticking with the "Grandpa did it" theory. Good luck with that.

I do think there is a small possibility that a Russian official/coach gave the banned drug to Valieva without her knowing it.  But if that's what happened it would require that Russian official/coach to rat themselves out in order to save a 15 year old girl, and I don't see a Russian official/coach doing that. They will save themselves and if Valieva gets a ban they will just move on to the next young Russian figure skater. 

Google search "Andreea Raducan"

Andreea Raducan was given cold medicine the day of the Olympic competition by her team doctor. The medicine contained a banned substance but Raducan didn't know that. Raducan was stripped of the gold medal that she won the day she took that drug, but she didn't receive a ban. 

So yes, Raducan was able to avoid a ban, but that's only because they were able to track down the person who gave her the drug. So far, the Russians are claiming that the situation with Valieva is very different, meaning that the Russians say it wasn't a team official who gave her the banned substance, it was Grandpa being careless with his meds. I don't hold much hope in the "it's Grandpa's fault" excuse working out well for her.

One has to love the lawyer speak from all the former skaters/commentators as well, "for those with a positive test" most say, not for all those that cheat or use. Tip of ice burg and sure not limited to Russia or any other sport although ice skating pushes the definition, especially when I can't figure out who won. With that said, better than all the free style skiing/snowboarding nonsense.

If she received a six month suspension dating back to the Russian Championships, her results from the Europeans and the Olympics will be vacated. But she will be cleared to compete in the next season.

If her results are nullified, but she does not receive any suspension, what different would that make?

Russia would get the gold medal.

Valieva tested positive on Dec 25, 2021 at the Russian Championships. If she doesn't receive a suspension, then Russia would receive the gold medal in the Olympic team competition. If she is suspended retroactive to Dec 25, 2021, then Russian doesn't get the Olympic team gold medal, and it would go to the United States instead.

15 yrs old and how will they apply strict liability to a child.

Can a child make a contract?

The real world is out there.

All Olympic athletes have the right to compete against only other athletes who aren't taking banned drugs, regardless of the other athletes' ages. There is a slight exemption in the liability rules regarding banned drugs taken by people under 16 years old, and Valieva is 15 years old. So that might help her avoid a suspension. 

But your statement "can a child make a contract" really has nothing to do with the drug rules. Drug rules and contract rules are 2 different things. Not all rules apply to the same exact ages.

Raducan was not suspended, but her individual gold medal was taken away. So if Valieva does not receive suspension, which results will be nullified? The Russian Championships?

Dozens of athletes have had positive PED tests overturned. It happens all the time. The CAS said Kamila has to show the grandfather excuse is the "most likely" explanation.

My guess is she has to prove grandpa was actually taking this medication, she has a good explanation for the other similar drugs, no one else from Team Eteri took TMZ, and she had lots of negative test results throughout 2021. The CAS would clear her. But does it matter now?