The ongoing Valieva situation & the Beijing Olympics Team Medals - 29 Jan. 2024 - CAS decision released

[Elizabeth]

This situation continues but things have reached the point of involving the Court for Arbitration in Sport (CAS) - the World Anti-doping Agency (WADA) has filed an appeal based on the lack of action by the Russian agency (RUSADA). Don't hold your breath for a ruling but read more about what's happening and has happened up to now in the notice from CAS:

[happyheini]

At least the Russian skaters will be banned from ISU competitions as long as they withhold the information but it is quite unfair for the teams still waiting for their medals, not even knowing what colour they will be.

[Elizabeth]

The latest information - this came out while I was at Canadians

[kittykins]

Ho boy. This could go on for years. It's this playing outside the rules, or just on the fringe of the rules that is so annoying and their apparent feeling of entitlement. I think it will be a long time before Russia is allowed to compete in skating again due to this and the war in Ukraine, and in many ways that is unfortunate for the sport. Some of the best skaters are in Russia, but who knows if they are playing fairly. Probably we will never know. Thanks for your ongoing updates about this serious matter Elizabeth. I hope the Team Event results will be resolved before the next Winter Olympics....

[fred]

Back on this thread Kevin wrote: " Requesting the B-sample (by the athlete) would come from someone who truly knew there had been a mistake, and wanted to prove some sort of testing error."
that is true to some extent, but I believe the A and B samples are stored together and the same people have access to them. If one was nobbled, it's extremely likely that the other would be done the same way. In that case it just looks like corroboration of the false results.

[kittykins]

I believe it was Adam Rippon who explained this a while back. Yes, it's the same sample divided into two parts, so the B sample would not be different, probably 99.9% of the time if that.

There was talk in the news today or yesterday about how the Olympic committee will likely allow Russian skaters to skate as independents.

[Elizabeth]

The Olympic participation issue is not related to the Valieva situation but to the war in Ukraine.

The intention mentioned by the President of the IOC (the International Olympic Committee) to "explore a pathway" that would allow Russian and Belorussian athletes to compete as "neutrals" was specifically in relation to the next Olympics (2024 Summer Olympics in Paris), at least for now.
See: https://www.bbc.com/sport/olympics/64406442

There has been an official response from the Ukrainian President and their Olympic Committee indicating their intention not to compete should such a measure be adopted and their hope that there would be a boycott.


Several other national Olympic associations/governments in Europe have also indicated that they would not participate. See: https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles ... sia-return

[Elizabeth]

The latest statement by WADA

[Elizabeth]

The ISU has also filed an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) after reviewing the RUSADA ruling:
https://www.isu.org/isu-news/news/145-n ... teParam=15

The Russian Anti-Doping Agency's (RUSADA's) disciplinary tribunal rendered a decision in the case of Russian Figure Skater, Kamila Valieva, finding that although the athlete had committed an Anti-Doping Rule Violation, she bore “no fault or negligence” for it. As such, the tribunal imposed no sanction except for the disqualification of her results at the Russian Figure Skating Championship in Saint-Petersburg in December 2021.

The International Skating Union (ISU) received a copy of the reasoned decision in Russian and English translation on January 26, 2023 and a full copy of the case file on February 2, 2023. The ISU conducted a full review of the RUSADA decision and case file has decided to lodge an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The ISU is of the opinion that all young athletes must be protected against doping. Such protection cannot happen by exempting young athletes from sanctions.

Within the appeal, the ISU is seeking a period of ineligibility at CAS’s own discretion, starting from 25 December 2021 and disqualification of all results achieved during this period including forfeiture of any medals, points and prizes. Additionally, CAS is to decide the consequences of the Anti-Doping Rule Violation committed by Kamila Valieva and determine the final results of the Figure Skating Team Event at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games.

For the best interests of all Skaters and everyone involved, the ISU will continue to push for this matter to proceed without further undue delay.

Given the case is now pending before CAS, the ISU can make no further comment at this time.

[kittykins]

Wow, good!! I see their point about sanctions...otherwise it will just keep happening with the athlete still being used as the pawn in a corrupt system.

[Elizabeth]

Well, there's an "interesting" new twist - RUSADA themselves have filed an appeal to the CAS. They, however, are only seem to be suggesting a "reprimand" for the skater (Valieva)!

[kittykins]

Wow, I hope it's more than a slap on the wrist, but it's more than her who needs to be held accountable. Whether that will ever happen, time will tell.

[kittykins]

Article from 4 weeks ago...https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles ... va-appeals

[Elizabeth]

The Court for Arbitration in Sport has now set September dates for appeals in this "complicated" case.

From: https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles ... -september

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) is set to hear the appeals from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA), International Skating Union (ISU) and Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva in September.

The CAS hearing with all concerned parties is scheduled to be held from September 26 to 29 at its headquarters in Lausanne.

The panel in charge of the case said it may hear those unable to appear in person through videoconference.

The CAS said the hearing will not be open to public and announced it is unable to tell when the final decision will be announced.

"The CAS Panel’s decision will be final and binding, with the exception of the parties’ right to file an appeal to the Swiss Federal Tribunal within 30 days on limited procedural grounds," a CAS statement read.

In January, a RUSADA Disciplinary Committee ruled that Valieva testing positive for trimetazidine was through no "no fault or negligence" of hers and disqualified the results at the Russian Championships on December 25 2021, the date of sample collection.

However, WADA, RUSADA and the ISU have appealed seeking further sanctions.

WADA wants a four-year ban for Valieva, including disqualification of her results at Beijing 2022.

This would deny the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) team figure skating gold at the Winter Olympics.

"WADA seeks a ruling from CAS setting aside the Challenged Decision and finding the Athlete to have committed an ADRV under art. 4.1 and/or 4.2 of the RUSADA ADR, and sanctioned with a period of ineligibility of four years, as well as the disqualification of all competitive results obtained by the Athlete from and including 25 December 2021.

"In accordance with the Code of Sports-related Arbitration (the CAS Code), the arbitration rules governing CAS procedures, the three appeals were consolidated and a common timetable was established for the filing of the parties’ written submissions.

"The exchange of written submissions is still ongoing, following the extensions of time fixed with the mutual agreement of the parties, but will be concluded on time prior to the CAS hearing."

In Beijing, Valieva was only 15 and helped the neutral Russian team to gold with flawless execution.

She was the favourite for the singles title but insidethegames then exclusively revealed that she was at the centre of a doping scandal.

The medals were not awarded for the team event and Valieva displayed an error-strewn performance in the free skate.

Second-placed United States, third-placed Japan and fourth-placed Canada are all in line for upgrades depending on the CAS decision.

Skaters from all three countries have expressed frustration due to the delays in medal ceremony.

Just a reminder that Team Canada finished in 4th place. Should the Russian team be disqualified, they would be moved up to the bronze medal position.

The full press release:

[Elizabeth]

From the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum via Twitter:

Nine empty medal boxes from the Beijing 2022 Figure Skating Team Event are on display at the USOP Museum. This event's medal ceremony was postponed and over a year later, these athletes have not been awarded their medals.

[happyheini]

It is such a shame.

[kittykins]

It is such a shame.

It sure is...so unfair to the athletes. I do believe Valieva is a victim of her corrupt system. I still wonder if she "threw" the Ladies event so no one else would have to wait for their medals...we'll probably never know unless she writes a book, which is highly unlikely, at least in English.

[fred]

When the politicians and secret service agencies get involved with sports medals, it's difficult to sort out what is going on. Not impossible, but difficult, I suppose.

[kittykins]

When the politicians and secret service agencies get involved with sports medals, it's difficult to sort out what is going on. Not impossible, but difficult, I suppose.

How are secret service agencies involved?

[fred]

Have you never seen how larger nations, super-powers, use medal counts in their propaganda? It's very important to them. They will have their secret service agencies meddling in the medals, or they would not be considered, "doing their jobs." Dirty spy ops. are the norm in today's world and most of what we hear from the Main Stream Media is lies.

[Elizabeth]

The members of the US team who competed in Beijing (and have yet to receive a medal) have officially written to Matthieu Reeb, director general of the Court of Arbitration for Sport, requesting a seat to observe her closed hearing Sept. 26-29 in Lausanne, Switzerland. Their request includes mention of giving the Japanese and Canadian teams each a seat as well:

[happyheini]

Good for them. It is really outrageous. I hope the matter will be resolved in that the guilty parties will be punished. Maybe that is too much to ask.

[Elizabeth]

Unfortunately, the request for a "observer seat" in the closed hearing has been denied:

[kittykins]

Thanks for the update. I think everything should be out in the open now, but I realize it's a complicated business. Anyway, I hope this is resolved sooner rather than later.

[Elizabeth]

The closed hearing has been taking place, with Valieva participating via video link. Today it was unexpectedly halted with the Panel requesting additional documentation. It will resume in November!