'Olympic Glory's Hidden Side' Suspicions of Child Abuse Overlooked for Performance

Figure skating star Kamila Valieva (Russian Olympic Committee), who was suspected of doping violations, is training at the Beijing Capital Indoor Stadium in China on the 11th.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Seoyoung] As the doping allegations against Kamila Valieva (16), a figure skater representing the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC), have been confirmed, controversies over child abuse behind the Olympics have also surfaced.

On the 7th (local time), Valieva delivered an excellent performance in the women's singles free skate of the figure skating team event at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, earning widespread praise. However, Valieva became embroiled in a doping controversy after the illegal substance trimetazidine (TMZ) was detected from a sample collected during the Russian Championships held on December 25 last year. TMZ is a treatment for angina and other heart-related diseases and can be used as a stimulant to enhance endurance. It was designated as a banned substance by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in 2014.

Previously, Russia faced global condemnation after a government-led doping scandal was uncovered during the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. National-level sanctions against Russia were temporarily lifted after the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics but resurfaced in 2019 amid allegations of doping sample data manipulation, and these sanctions continue to this day. Currently, Russia is prohibited from using its name in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, and even the 2022 FIFA Qatar World Cup.

With Valieva’s doping allegations confirmed at this Olympics, attention has turned to the environment surrounding her. Analysts point to the significant responsibility of coaches and medical staff for exposing Valieva to drugs at such a young age of 16. Some athletes have speculated that an organized system was involved in Valieva’s doping. Adam Rippon, a bronze medalist in the figure skating team event at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, emphasized, "The adults who put her in this terrible situation must be punished."

Valieva also garnered sympathy as a prot?g? of coach Ateri Tutberidze, who is notorious for harsh training until athletes achieve results. Other coaches have described her as "using children like disposable cups and then discarding them." Some have pointed out that the figure skating world as a whole is particularly vulnerable to child abuse. Kiira Korpi, a former Finnish figure skater and current child rights activist, told the media, "The sick culture of figure skating itself is the problem," urging improvements in the training environment.

On the morning of the 6th, Kamila Valieva of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) performed at the women's singles short program preliminary round of the figure skating team event at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics held at the Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, China.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

However, this is not the first time child abuse issues related to the Olympics have emerged. During the 2020 Tokyo Olympics held last year, a child abuse scandal arose surrounding Chinese female diver Quan Hongchan (14), who won a gold medal. At that time, Quan Hongchan was at the center of controversy after showing a confused expression when a Chinese reporter asked, "What kind of personality do you think you have?" raising concerns that she might not have received proper education due to intense training.

Fang Zhouzi, a famous Chinese science writer and influencer, posted an interview video of Quan Hongchan on his social media, adding, "It is heartbreaking that a 14-year-old cannot understand ordinary questions." He pointed out, "(Quan Hongchan) probably did not receive basic education and earned money for her mother’s treatment," and criticized, "While Quan Hongchan gained attention by winning medals and revealing her private life, how many child laborers who did not become champions are there?"

In addition, China has faced criticism from various Western media since the 2008 Beijing Olympics for frequently committing child abuse in the athlete development process. It is known that talented children aged 5 to 6 are separated from their parents and undergo boarding training until they become adults. About 400,000 selected athletes receive strict training at more than 3,000 specialized sports schools across China and are nurtured to become national representatives.

Although more than a decade has passed since child abuse controversies related to winning Olympic medals surfaced, young athletes are still exposed to dangerous environments. Consequently, calls for increased awareness of doping, changes in training environments, and overall systemic improvements in the sports world are growing louder every day.

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