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Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva is ‘happy’ but ’emotionally exhausted’ as she prepares to kick off the Olympic gold rush a day after a court allowed her to compete in the scene doping controversy.
A week ago, the 15-year-old discovered that she had failed a drug test but successfully appealed the decision of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency to impose a temporary suspension.
That decision was upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on Monday following an appeal by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and others.
The pre-Olympic favorite, who wowed the judges by helping the Russian Olympic Committee win the team event, continues to practice – in front of cameras – amid uncertainty over whether Can she continue to play?
“This [past] The days are difficult for me,” Valieva, who sometimes tears up as she looks at the training ground, told Russia’s Channel One television.
“It’s as if I don’t have any emotions left. I’m happy but at the same time emotionally exhausted.”
Russia, which was banned from competing in the Games under its flag because of its doping history, is once again in the spotlight for this case.
But Denis Oswald, who chaired the IOC committee that looked into doping violations by Russian athletes at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, said that at this stage it does not appear that there is “a link to fabricated doping at this stage.” that we have in Sochi” but that is very difficult. to have an opinion yet without all the details.
Valieva already knew that if she won a medal in the women’s event, which began Tuesday with a short program and ended on Thursday with a freestyle skateboard, the IOC had decided there would be no medal ceremony. .
“We want to allocate the medals to the right people,” said Oswald, permanent chair of the IOC’s disciplinary committee.
“As long as the decision regarding this athlete’s doping case is not clear – she delivered a positive sample – until we have a clear situation we will not allocate medals. “
The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) is investigating Valieva’s entourage, which includes coaches, doctors and other adults around her, Oswald added, adding that “a 15-year-old kid wouldn’t do anything. wrong alone”.
Meanwhile, she remains the subject of an anti-doping investigation because of the failed exam. Oswald said she has yet to request a test for her B sample, which forms part of that process.
Under Wada regulations, athletes with a positive sample A test result have the right to request a sample B test.
The case still has a long way to go and there are many questions to be answered, but we will have an answer later on Tuesday to the question of how this will affect Valieva’s performance on TV. ice rink.
The Russian said she was supported by messages on social media, adding: “When I open Instagram, I can see a lot of good wishes and a lot of faith. I have seen that in Moscow even There are even billboards that say ‘Kamila, we’re ‘with you’. It’s so good.
“And in these difficult times, this support is very important to me.”
