Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva has been cleared to compete in the women's figure skating competition at the Winter Olympics despite failing a pre-Games drug test.
Ughhh! I understand that she has more rights as an athlete under the age of 16 but, this is BS. I feel pain for the other competitors that earn podium spots as they will not receive their medals until a later date after a full investigation is completed. Even worse, finishing 4th and not knowing for 6-12 months if you are an Olympic medalist or not when trying to negotiate endorsements that allow you to stay in the sport. Work your entire life to earn that medal and instead of hearing your national anthem, seeing your flag, and getting honored on global TV, you get your reward later and feel fortunate that local "Action 8 News at Noon" sent a camera to document some low level IOC flack give you a gold medal at city hall the following summer.
The article says it's because although she has tested positive there hasn't been a full investigation. Kinda like the Houlihan case. She tested positive but then had the opportunity to defend her case. I guess the IOC is covering themselves for the remote possibility that it is later found out that the athlete had a false positive test or there was some other valid reason for her testing positive.
Main reason why she was allowed is because test results came later that they should come, and she had no possibility to appeal before olympics( B sample is not opened yet). After olympics will be decided to disqualify her or not
IOC, WADA and ISU (International Skating Union) challenged the RUSADA decision to lift the provisional suspension. CAS declined declined to re-impose the provisional suspension.
The test was from Christmas, Russian nationals. The Rusada sat on it to intentionally cause this mess. Russian needs to be sidelined for a decade in all sports. No more ROC garbage.
The test was from Christmas, Russian nationals. The Rusada sat on it to intentionally cause this mess. Russian needs to be sidelined for a decade in all sports. No more ROC garbage.
The sample was sent to a lab in Stockholm. The lab took longer than usual to process the sample due to Covid, and RUSADA was notified of the positive test on Feb 8.
Main reason why she was allowed is because test results came later that they should come, and she had no possibility to appeal before olympics( B sample is not opened yet). After olympics will be decided to disqualify her or not
She tested negative at the Olympics. That is a reason she is allowed to compete, and that the drug found has odd allowances. The drug seems to be less of an enhancer and more of a don't-use-it-because-you-might-hurt-yourself (like marijuana).
Allowed to Compete: Has a prescription and a doctor watches the athlete take the drug.
Mico Ban of a few months: Has a prescription but a doctor does not watches the athlete take the drug.
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