Kamila Valieva’s fourth-area complete in the women’s singles skating has penned the future chapter in a story that is certain to rumble on significantly over and above the Beijing Game titles.
The Russian figure skater has been at the heart of a doping scandal that can be traced back again to December 2021, when the 15-year-aged examined optimistic for the banned heart drug trimetazidine.
Having said that, the exam was only analyzed and noted to Russia’s Anti-Doping Company (RUSADA) in February, resulting in Valieva’s suspension on Feb. 8.
The suspension arrived a day following she had assisted the ROC to a gold medal victory in the figure skating group event.
Valieva was reinstated right after an charm, and the Court docket of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) allowed her to contend in the Olympics, citing distinct provisions linked to her safeguarded position as a minimal, while investigations into any doping violations by Valieva and the adults liable for her coaching go on.
The skater’s ongoing involvement in the Game titles led US sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson to concern the choice — citing a optimistic examination for hashish that derailed her personal Olympic dream in Tokyo previous summer.
“Can we get a reliable reply on the change of (Valieva’s) scenario and mines (sic)?” Richardson wrote on Twitter.
“My mom died and I won’t be able to operate and was also favored to put top rated 3. The only difference I see is I’m a Black youthful woman,” she added.
On Tuesday, an Intercontinental Olympic Committee (IOC) official claimed that Valieva was blaming the doping violation — in which she analyzed optimistic for a heart treatment that gurus say can improve stamina — on contamination from her grandfather’s medicine.
Her coach, Eteri Tutberidze, told Russian point out information agency Tass they are “absolutely confident” she is innocent.
The medication’s results of elevated endurance could probably show influential pursuing a rule adjust in 2004 which benefits athletes for accomplishing jumps towards the stop of their routines.
Under the present-day scoring method, jumps done in the 2nd 50 percent of the free skate can get a 10{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} reward for the reason that it is really extra hard to accomplish them on weary legs.
Subsequent popular criticism of the rule in 2018 — with critics alleging that skaters had been cramming in jumps towards the back again conclude of performances — the Global Skating Union designed a new rule expressing skaters will only get 10{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} bonuses for up to 3 jumping passes in the second 50 percent of their totally free skate.
It was beneath this context and unprecedented stress that Valieva competed in the individual party, but the 15-yr-outdated posted the maximum score in the short system on Tuesday to get there at Thursday’s deciding free skate in pole placement.
More controversy adopted when it was introduced by an IOC spokesperson that any consequence involving Valieva in the women’s particular person occasion would have an “asterisk” until finally her case has been concluded, and as these, there would be no flower or medal ceremony.
Nonetheless soon after a number of falls in her absolutely free skate plan, Valieva’s fourth positioned complete still left her just outdoors the podium areas. Subsequently, the medal ceremony is established to go in advance on Friday, Feb. 18, in accordance to the formal Olympics media website.
Nonetheless, in spite of Valieva falling out of the specific medal positions, the fallout from the scandal is sure to taint the Video games as the investigation carries on on.
Examine the total report listed here.
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