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Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva's positive test results for a banned substance has seen massive outrage in the last few days in the Olympic circle.
Valieva and the ROC team won gold medals on February 5 at the Beijing Winter Games. The 15-year-old phenomenon scripted history in Beijing after she pulled off two quadruple jumps at the Winter Olympics. The Russian figure skater also finished the event maintaining a gap of over 15 points against the other skaters.
Unfortunately, the attention was diverted instead to the positive test report on the consumption of a banned drug. It raised several questions.
Valieva, 15, tested positive for trimetazidine, a metabolic agent that is prescribed for the treatment of angina and vertigo. However, it is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). She is one of the youngest athletes ever to test positive for doping at the Olympics.
Amidst all the drama, the delay in the results of Valieva's reports caught the attention of the dignitaries. Earlier, the ITA said the reports were submitted during the Russian championships on December 25 but the results were only confirmed on February 8.
ROC questions the timeline on the Valieva case
The Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) and the Russian Anti-Doping Association have questioned the timeline. ROC head Stanislav Pozdnyakov went on to consider the gap suspicious.
The ROC head said:
"The long gap between the Dec. 25 doping test and the Feb. 8 announcement looked suspicious and questions "serious questions about the process".
The Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) immediately questioned the timeline, regarding the delay. They also asked why the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) lifted 15-year-old's provisional suspension, allowing her to further train and compete.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) questioned the issue and said the delay was a question for WADA.
"I can't speak directly about the delay. It was a WADA-sanctioned lab in Stockholm so that is a question that should be directed to WADA."
U.S. anti-doping chief Travis Tygart also reacted to the issue.
He said:
"The testing delay that allowed Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva to compete at the Olympics was "absolutely inexcusable" and "a catastrophic failure of the system that is so egregious, it almost seems intentional."
