Baliyeva Tests 200 Times Over Banned Substance Limit... "Seems Intentionally Taken"

Baliyeva Explains "Grandfather's Fault" in Doping Scandal
Expert: "Concentration of Banned Substance Detected in Doping Sample Is Very High"

[Olympics] What is the meaning of Valieva's tears? / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoon Seul-gi] Kamila Valieva (16, Russian Olympic Committee), a female singles figure skater, explained that the 'doping controversy' was due to her grandfather's heart medication, but experts have refuted this claim as unconvincing.

Travis Tygart, chairman of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), stated in an interview with CNN on the 17th, "It appears that Valieva intentionally took performance-enhancing substances."

Known as a 'figure skating prodigy,' Valieva demonstrated overwhelming skill in the team event of figure skating at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, securing Russia's first-ever team gold medal.

However, trimetazidine was detected in Valieva's urine sample collected at the end of December last year, leading to the effective cancellation of the awards ceremony. Trimetazidine is a medication for angina and acts as a stimulant. It can increase blood flow and help improve endurance, which is why the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) designated it as a banned substance in 2014.

Kamila Valieva of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) is talking with someone after finishing the women's singles short program in figure skating at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics held at the Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, China, on the afternoon of the 15th.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Additionally, the U.S. New York Times (NYT) reported on the 13th that, besides the banned substance trimetazidine, non-banned substances hypoxen and L-carnitine were also detected in Valieva's urine sample.

Valieva's side argued at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) hearing on the 15th that the presence of the substances was due to her grandfather's heart medication. They claimed that sharing a water cup with her grandfather led to the detection of his heart medication components in Valieva's urine sample.

In response to this rebuttal, Chairman Tygart asserted, "The use of one banned substance and two non-banned substances together appears to have been intended to increase endurance and reduce fatigue." He further explained that hypoxen raises oxygen saturation levels and that USADA considered it a performance-enhancing substance, even attempting to classify it as a banned substance in 2017.

Regarding Valieva's claim that the urine sample was contaminated by her grandfather's medication, Chairman Tygart said it was hard to accept. He pointed out, "The concentration of trimetazidine detected in Valieva's urine sample was analyzed at 2.1 ng (nanograms) per 1 mL," adding, "This is about 200 times higher than the amount found in samples from other athletes proven to be contaminated." Since this level can only be reached by taking a regular dose of trimetazidine daily, Valieva's claim lacks credibility.

Chairman Tygart stated, "Clearly, someone taught, guided, or led Valieva to take these substances. It could be someone who provided financial support to them," adding, "They did this to enhance the performance of a girl who is only 15 years old."

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