[Olympics] Official Confirmation of Valieva's Banned Substance... Uncertain Participation in Figure Skating Singles

Depends on the Court of Arbitration for Sport's Decision... Emergency Hearing Soon

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Female figure skating star Kamila Valieva (Russian Olympic Committee) has been confirmed to have used a banned substance. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced on the 11th in a daily briefing that Valieva tested positive in a doping test. The International Testing Agency (ITA), responsible for doping tests at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, discovered this on the 8th. This was the day after Valieva won the figure skating team event representing the Russian Olympic Committee at the Games. Upon receiving the news, the IOC postponed the official medal ceremony for the figure skating team event scheduled for the 8th, citing "legal issues."

According to foreign media, the banned substance detected was trimetazidine. It was found in a sample collected from Valieva at the Russian Championships held in Saint Petersburg, Russia, on December 25 of last year. Trimetazidine is a medication used to treat angina, but it can also help improve endurance by increasing blood flow. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) designated it as a banned substance in 2014.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) confirmed the positive test result and issued a provisional suspension to Valieva on the 8th. The following day, Valieva’s side appealed, and RUSADA withdrew the suspension, reinstating her opportunity to compete in the Olympics. In response, the ITA filed a complaint with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on behalf of the IOC, arguing that the withdrawal of the suspension was unjust. They requested an urgent hearing to reach a conclusion before the women’s singles event on the 15th. If CAS rules in favor of the IOC and ITA, Valieva’s path to Olympic participation will be blocked. The ROC’s gold medal in the figure skating team event could also be revoked. However, since Valieva is under sixteen years old, she is likely to receive only a minor sanction under WADA’s regulations for doping violations by minor athletes.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.