2022 Olympic TEAM EVENT - Beijing - Begins Feb. 3 Eastern Time

[Elizabeth]

As you may have been hearing in news reports, the actual medal ceremony for the Team Event has now been delayed twice. A spokesperson for the International Olympic Committee (IOC), in response to a question at press conference, said that it involved "legal issues" that have had to be referred to the International Skating Union (ISU). It was expected that more information would be available by "end of day" - that day has already ended Beijing time but there has not yet been anything further officially as far as I can see.

One news story: https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/wint ... -1.6344572

Another news story implies that this might be related to those "unannounced, out-of-competition drug tests" that are carried out by WADA (the World Anti-Drugging Agency): https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles ... edal-delay

There is a lot of speculation going around but there has been no further official information released yet.

This is a further unconfirmed story:
https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles ... ijing-2022

[kittykins]

Thanks for the information. What a mess! I feel for her as likely she is just a pawn in a very corrupt system. Although it's unconfirmed, one wonders why a teenager would be taking medication for angina...over exertion? Well, this will be interesting.

[Kevin]

Thanks for the information. What a mess! I feel for her as likely she is just a pawn in a very corrupt system. Although it's unconfirmed, one wonders why a teenager would be taking medication for angina...over exertion? Well, this will be interesting.

This is an interesting article regarding Olympic doping, and Trimetazidine is mentioned here as a performance enhancer, and a Chinese swimmer has lost a medal for it's use. This is all still speculation, but this is clearly a prescription medication (not a mysterious ingredient in Benydryl....) and on the banned substance list. If the use of this drug was necessary to treat angina, then it would have been declared by the athlete in advance to avoid such a conflict. In reading the article I've linked, I also wonder if Trimetazidine could be considered a "masking drug". All in all, it's going to be a bumpy week......

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-11/ ... de/7651832

[kittykins]

Thanks for the information. What a mess! I feel for her as likely she is just a pawn in a very corrupt system. Although it's unconfirmed, one wonders why a teenager would be taking medication for angina...over exertion? Well, this will be interesting.

This is an interesting article regarding Olympic doping, and Trimetazidine is mentioned here as a performance enhancer, and a Chinese swimmer has lost a medal for it's use. This is all still speculation, but this is clearly a prescription medication (not a mysterious ingredient in Benydryl....) and on the banned substance list. If the use of this drug was necessary to treat angina, then it would have been declared by the athlete in advance to avoid such a conflict. In reading the article I've linked, I also wonder if Trimetazidine could be considered a "masking drug". All in all, it's going to be a bumpy week......

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-11/ ... de/7651832

Thanks for the info. Kevin. My sister who is a specialty nurse and is top notch in her knowledge of medications said yes, Trimetazidine would definitely be a performance enhancer. A bumpy week would be an understatement, whew. I feel sad in a way, because this whole mess has the ability to ruin a beautiful event. Any medal, is in some way, tarnished for the others who get them. Although, fortunately they were not given to someone else yet. It would be nice for Canada to get a bronze, but it gives one mixed feelings. I would be very surprised if a 15 year old would take a banned substance on her own, so she is a potential victim in this whole mess too if it turns out to be true...just confirmed on CBC that it is.

[fred]

I just read an article that said she took the test well before the Oluymics started and she did declare the medication she was on. Everything out in the open. She was registered and accepted to the Olympics even so. There were no communications from the IOC or the drug testing body to disqualify her, and I believe there still are not any officlal disqualifications. It's a tempest in a teapot. Since when do reporters run the Olympics and delay medal ceremonies?

[Kevin]

I just read an article that said she took the test well before the Oluymics started and she did declare the medication she was on. Everything out in the open. She was registered and accepted to the Olympics even so. There were no communications from the IOC or the drug testing body to disqualify her, and I believe there still are not any officlal disqualifications. It's a tempest in a teapot. Since when do reporters run the Olympics and delay medal ceremonies?

It's my understanding that drug testing is not only carried out during events, but there is strict "out of competition" testing as well, to ensure athletes are continually testing clean. If she had a positive test result prior to the Olympics, then she would be sanctioned for a period of time from the date of the positive test. I can't answer why it has taken over a month for these results to come to light, but perhaps that's the normal turn around time. I would like to know more about that process.

To be fair, the medal ceremony is being delayed because of an official legal investigation into a positive doping violation, not because of reporters.

[Elizabeth]

I just read an article that said she took the test well before the Oluymics started and she did declare the medication she was on. Everything out in the open. She was registered and accepted to the Olympics even so. There were no communications from the IOC or the drug testing body to disqualify her, and I believe there still are not any officlal disqualifications. It's a tempest in a teapot. Since when do reporters run the Olympics and delay medal ceremonies?

It's my understanding that drug testing is not only carried out during events, but there is strict "out of competition" testing as well, to ensure athletes are continually testing clean. If she had a positive test result prior to the Olympics, then she would be sanctioned for a period of time from the date of the positive test. I can't answer why it has taken over a month for these results to come to light, but perhaps that's the normal turn around time. I would like to know more about that process.

To be fair, the medal ceremony is being delayed because of an official legal investigation into a positive doping violation, not because of reporters.

You are exactly right, Kevin. The reporters are asking questions to try to get the full details of what has been/is going on and when it might be resolved. The fact that she is not yet 16 increases the legal "wrinkles".

At this point, my concerns are for all of the skaters being put in "limbo" and how that might impact their ongoing competitions. I think we saw a little of that in the performance of Mark Kondratiuk in the Men's single event. He was the Russian man in the Team Event and certainly did not skate up to the same level last night (or this morning as it was in Beijing).

[kittykins]

Yes, that's right...it's the IOC who is investigating and is not run by reporters who are just updating the public when they know more.

I'm disgusted by the whole matter. I agree with you Elizabeth that he did not not compete up to his previous levels and I feel he looks worried or upset.

If this isn't dealt with properly, it will tarnish the whole Olympics. It's interesting that a supposedly healthy teenager has some kind of mysterious illness so she needs to take a medication for angina that is on the banned substance list. Her youth should not get her off the hook exactly, but I would not think a teen would tend to take a medication like that without the help of an adult. Traces of a drug can also indicate long term use. I'm also concerned that perhaps she is being exploited. I see her skating and she looks like a machine with no emotion. Winning the Gold at all costs is not always that good for the individuals involved, especially when they are minors. Ok, so people under 16 or 18 (depending on which article you read) should not be named...that's just not realistic in such a high profile sport like skating. To give the IOC credit, they have postponed the awarding of the medals. No matter what the outcome she will always be remembered for that and honestly most of the public just won't buy any excuses for why she needs to have a banned substance in her body, however small. I don't want to sound judgmental, but I've seen many "antics" over the 51 years I've watched skating (and also hockey) and so I have very little tolerance for "games" under the name of "Fair Play".

https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/wint ... -1.6345946

Valieva.jpg

[Elizabeth]

A particularly uninformative update on the ongoing situation with respect to the medal ceremony for the figure skating team event at the Beijing Olympics as provided on Twitter by CBC reporter, Devin Heroux.

ISU STATEMENT

Referring to recent media reports, relating to Figure Skating Team Event, ISU cannot disclose any information about any possible Anti-Doping rule violation. This is in line with ISU Anti-Doping Rules/IOC Anti-Doping Rules for Beijing 2022.

No further comment.

[kittykins]

Well, that's really disappointing!

ESPN's take on it which I found quite informative: https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/i ... KGDbyh0RCM

[Elizabeth]

Since the Valieva issue lingers on and now is pertinent to the singles competition, I'm moving discussion over to a separate thread

The awarding of medals in the team event remains in limbo and there is a possibility they won't actually be awarded during the span of the Games.

[fred]

To be fair, the medal ceremony is being delayed because of an official legal investigation into a positive doping violation, not because of reporters.

At the time a reporter was the only one drawing attention to the test. None of the governing bodies had issued any notification of the test. Yet they stopped the medal ceremony on the say-so of this reporter.

The Court of Sports Arbitration is going to hear the case on Sunday and they promise a decision on Monday. It's blinding speed apparently for that court.

[Elizabeth]

Since, at least for the moment, Canada officially finished 4th in the Team Event, participants, like Madeline Schizas, have received certificates attesting to that result.

[fred]

That's something to be proud of and it was achieved honestly.

[kittykins]

Good for her and Happy Birthday to her today!

[Elizabeth]

Good for her and Happy Birthday to her today!

A greeting from Skate Canada for Madeline who turns 19 today: