Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva has been handed a four-year ban by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Monday for failing a doping test ahead of the Winter Olympics.
The three-member panel in CAS found that Valieva violated the Anti-Doping Rule under Clause 4.1 of the All-Russian Anti-Doping Rules of June 24, 2021.
The ban includes the disqualification of all competitive results, leading to the forfeiture of titles, awards, medals, profits, prizes, and appearance money.
While the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) welcomed the ban, it strongly criticized those involved in doping Valieva, emphasizing the gravity of doping children.
WADA called for action under its code against doctors, coaches, and support personnel providing performance-enhancing substances to minors, suggesting the possibility of legislation criminalizing the doping of minors.
In contrast, the Kremlin denounced the decision as “politicized,” with spokesman Dmitry Peskov expressing disagreement and suggesting a biased perspective.
The controversy surrounding Valieva’s positive test raised concerns about her treatment as a minor, the test’s procedures, and the drug’s performance-enhancing value.
The case reached CAS after Russia’s anti-doping agency (RUSADA) exonerated Valieva. Both WADA and the International Skating Union (ISU) appealed RUSADA’s ruling, leading to the CAS decision.
Valieva, known for becoming the first female skater to land a quadruple jump in an Olympic competition in Beijing 2022, now faces disqualification, impacting the team event podium and potentially resulting in the United States being awarded gold, Japan silver, and Canada bronze.
