Tearful Valieva: "Doping Due to Heart Medicine My Grandfather Takes"

Published 16 Feb.2022 01:00(KST)

Updated 16 Feb.2022 15:59(KST)

"Happy to Compete in the Game but Already Exhausted"

Kamila Valieva (Russian Olympic Committee), who tested positive for doping but was allowed to compete in the individual event at the Beijing Olympics through the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), scored 82.16 points, significantly below her own short program world record of 90.45 points.

Valieva made mistakes under pressure, including a two-footed landing on her first jump, the triple Axel, and did not deliver a polished performance, but she still took the lead and advanced to the free skating.

Kamila Valieva of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) is seen covering her face while crying after completing her performance in the women's singles short program figure skating event at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics on the afternoon of the 15th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] Kamila Valieva (16) of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC), confirmed to have violated doping rules, has expressed her position on the controversy.

According to foreign media on the 15th, at the CAS hearing, Valieva’s mother and lawyer claimed that "the doping was due to a heart medication taken by her grandfather." They argued that the urine sample was contaminated by the medication her grandfather was taking.

However, it was not disclosed whether Valieva herself took her grandfather’s heart medication or if the heart medication components appeared in the doping sample due to contamination.

Earlier, on the 11th, according to AP and AFP, a banned substance called "trimetazidine" was detected in Valieva’s sample collected at the Russian Championships on December 25 last year. Trimetazidine is a medication for angina, which can also be used as a stimulant to increase endurance by improving blood flow, and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) designated it as a banned substance in 2014.

Valieva’s test results were notified to the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) only on the 8th of this month, a month and a half after the sample was submitted. This was the day after Valieva secured the gold medal in the figure skating team event.

After the notification, RUSADA imposed a provisional suspension on Valieva. However, when Valieva appealed, RUSADA accepted the appeal and lifted the suspension within a day, allowing her to compete in the Olympics. The International Olympic Committee (IOC), International Skating Union (ISU), and WADA immediately challenged RUSADA’s decision to lift the suspension at CAS, but the appeal was dismissed.

CAS cited the following reasons for dismissing the appeal: Valieva is under 16 years old (born April 26, 2006), thus protected under anti-doping rules; the doping test was not conducted during the Olympic period; and WADA notified the doping result 46 days after the test.

According to Russia’s state broadcaster Channel One, Valieva was seen crying after hearing the CAS decision. In an interview with Channel One, she said, "It has been a very difficult time. I am happy to be able to compete, but I am already emotionally exhausted," adding, "But this is one of the stages I have to go through. I will do my best representing Russia."

The ISU decided that if Valieva ranks within the top 24 in the short program, the number of skaters advancing to the free skating on the 17th will be increased from 24 to 25.

Additionally, the IOC announced that even if Valieva wins a medal in women’s figure skating, neither a flower bouquet ceremony nor an official medal ceremony will be held.

Meanwhile, on the afternoon of the 15th, at the Beijing Capital Indoor Stadium, Valieva performed to Kirill Richter’s "In Memoriam" in the women’s singles short program at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, scoring 82.16 points, far below her own short program world record of 90.45 points.

Despite mistakes such as a two-footed landing on the triple Axel, her first jump, and not delivering a polished performance under pressure, Valieva took the lead and advanced to the free skating.