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

[happyheini]

They lost me completely. To me it shows the power Russia has over the IOC as I don't think they would be prevaricating and pussyfooting like this would it have happened with any skater of another nationality.

[kittykins]

They lost me completely. To me it shows the power Russia has over the IOC as I don't think they would be prevaricating and pussyfooting like this would it have happened with any skater of another nationality.

I agree with you Heini.

Thanks so much Kevin for explaining things so clearly. That's right...no time to test the B sample. I agree that the "delay" is very suspicious.

I'm glad that a 25th skater will be allowed to skate in the final. All this is A LOT for a 15 year old to handle. I really do feel for her and she looked quite overwrought at practice today. The best scenario would be for to finish 4th imho, but that of course is not likely.

Early start is right but I tend to wake up at 5:00 so early to bed it is! lol

Here are a few tweets from skaters:

Twitter Comments Skaters 75%.jpg

[Kevin]

This is a very interesting take from a CBC interview with IOC senior member and former WADA President, Dick Pound

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LD_y2Qpv5uk

[kittykins]

This is a very interesting take from a CBC interview with IOC senior member and former WADA President, Dick Pound

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LD_y2Qpv5uk

Thanks Kevin. I was hoping to see what he would say. it makes sense. I do wish they'd mention the timeline for checking the B sample. It seems with Ben Johnson, it was only a couple of days. I don't understand all the delays. It's almost like the delays are orchestrated, but well we probably won't ever know for sure. I did wake up for the Women's SP, but I over-compensated and woke up at 4:00, lol. What we do for skating!

Adam Rippon also had a few choice words regarding the Valieva situation. He defends her and says her team should be punished, speaks to the mind set of those who cheat, and how the USA handles things. He said that an athlete can't get a Therapeutic Use Exemption for Trimetazidine.
https://twitter.com/AdamRippon/status/1 ... 2734541826

[Elizabeth]

I have read that the athlete can ask to have the B specimen analyzed, i.e. it's not automatic.

[kittykins]

I have read that the athlete can ask to have the B specimen analyzed, i.e. it's not automatic.

Oh that's interesting! Scott Moir & Adam comments here and Adam explained what is involved with creating a B sample.
https://time.com/6148004/kamila-valieva ... reactions/

[Kevin]

I have read that the athlete can ask to have the B specimen analyzed, i.e. it's not automatic.

Yes, I have heard that, and I'm unclear about what happens now. From what I have heard about her defense that she came into contact with the drug through her grandfather, it sounds to me like their team is NOT disputing the positive result of the "A" sample. 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. If I was in that category, I would not be offering excuses as to how I had inadvertently come into contact by possibly sharing a water glass with my grandfather. The explanation seems to reinforce that they don't dispute the "A" sample, which implies knowledge that the sample is tainted. I wonder if WADA can re-test the B-sample or if it has to be done by the athlete only?

[Elizabeth]

An additional complication here is the multiple "agencies" involved - how much is up to RUSADA? how much to WADA?

From what I'm reading, her "defense" at the CAS hearing essentially admitted the presence of the medication (and two or more others which are not banned) but blamed it on her sharing something with her grandfather. If that is the case, is there any need for the B sample to be tested? If so, I think that RUSADA, perhaps on behalf of ROC could have it done. Can WADA, perhaps on behalf of IOC?

All of this is going to drag on, I'm afraid.

[Kevin]

The thing that I began wondering last night, which I haven't heard anything about yet, is what about the World Championships in March? Will this be sorted out before that event begins, or will we be forced to endure another medal-less competition?

[kittykins]

Ho boy. I'm just reading the CBC article on this which I'm assuming the rest of you have read too. What they seem to indicate there is that the fact that she was on two other "legal" oxygen boosters has undermined or undercut her defense that it was "accidental" for her to have trimetazidine in her system. It is interesting to note that the US anti-doping authorities tried to get Hypoxen banned unsuccessfully. Why (rhetorical) on earth is a young woman needing so many oxygen boosters?! This is NOT a normal training environment imho. Is the pressure so hard on her as an athlete that she would do this of her own accord? I've read some horrific reports about the training conditions that sound like they are verging on abuse. Young women are weighed before practice and keeping their weight stable is very strictly enforced. Young women are "dropped" if they don't perform. It sounds like a freaking nightmare to me as an auntie and former teacher! How many times have we heard this excuse in the past from other athletes that they came in contact with a banned substance "accidentally"...OFTEN that is the first rationale. It reminds me of the case with snowboarder Ross Rebagliati who said he didn't smoke cannabis but came in contact with it at a party where there was heavy smoking going on which would explain the small traces in his system. As we all know it was determined it was not performance enhancing and if anything would make it more difficult for him to win, so he was able to keep his Olympic gold medal. Anyway, about Valieva...scary is all I can say and as was said in the article, it probably indicates something more serious going on. Whatever happened whether she was given these substances by coaches, medical staff or family, or she took them on her own, she's clearly a victim of the system. My heart breaks for her, it realliy does.

Ok, just editing to include a post by apparently by THE Sebastian Britten on that same article. He posted something on his FB page also, so it seems legit.:

Sebastien Britten's Comments Resize.jpg

[Judy]

An example of training in Russia today. Visit YouTube Miroslava Lebedeva.

I’m guessing this child is 7 and her sister 4. The male voice is their father. Unfortunately I don’t understand Russian, perhaps someone else does. It appears many hours a day are spend doing extreme stretching, cardio, dance, skating and off ice spins and jumps. I’ve watched a few videos of her over the past few months.

Draw your own conclusions….

[kittykins]

Thanks Judy. The google translation of the written text said:

"Friends, today a lot of dirt, hatred and other unfounded accusations have fallen on us, and in particular on me (Mira's dad) !!! So I’ll just say one thing, you can put pressure on me as much as you like, but the truth is behind us

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[kittykins]

I'm just thinking how big this is and in many ways it's gotten out of hand, mostly because consequences didn't happen before the Olympics when they should have due to delays in testing. There are many comments by former skaters, or editorials in French. In the one Sebastien follows, there is a sarcastic comment "If only Papa had not left his water glass out (on the counter)". I don't think this will blow over for some time because it isn't just one incident, but a whole system and ways of doing things. To our North American sensibilities, it seems so wrong, but they don't view it that way. Both the Chinese and Russians have residences where the kids stay and train. As I recall on Battle of the Blades, and Paivi Bure and Katia Gordeeva knew each other because they trained in the same place in Russia.

[kittykins]

An example of training in Russia today. Visit YouTube Miroslava Lebedeva.

I’m guessing this child is 7 and her sister 4. The male voice is their father. Unfortunately I don’t understand Russian, perhaps someone else does. It appears many hours a day are spend doing extreme stretching, cardio, dance, skating and off ice spins and jumps. I’ve watched a few videos of her over the past few months.

Draw your own conclusions….

Ok, I just figured out how to get English. Turn on Subtitles with the CC. Then go to settings (little flower like shape) at the bottom and go where it says auto Russian, choose auto translate, choose English from the list of languages. I just watched it. It's not a perfect translation, but you get the gist.

https://www.youtube.com/c/%D0%9C%D0%B8% ... %B0/videos

[kittykins]

I just read a personal essay by Tara Lipinski re. the situation. She of all people should know how Valieva might feel.

https://people.com/sports/tara-lipinski ... a-valieva/

[Elizabeth]

For those waiting for the team event results from the Olympics (including the teams awaiting their medals), it appears that it might be a l o o o o o g wait

https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles ... ld-drag-on

[Elizabeth]

I just read a personal essay by Tara Lipinski re. the situation. She of all people should know how Valieva might feel.

https://people.com/sports/tara-lipinski ... a-valieva/

Since NBC is covering (mainly) the Women's event from the Worlds in their broadcast tonight, I hope they focus on Worlds and don't spend time dredging up the Olympics/talking about who isn't competing. Johnny is a well known "Russophile" and even spent time at the now "infamous" school earlier in the season

[kittykins]

I just read a personal essay by Tara Lipinski re. the situation. She of all people should know how Valieva might feel.

https://people.com/sports/tara-lipinski ... a-valieva/

Since NBC is covering (mainly) the Women's event from the Worlds in their broadcast tonight, I hope they focus on Worlds and don't spend time dredging up the Olympics/talking about who isn't competing. Johnny is a well known "Russophile" and even spent time at the now "infamous" school earlier in the season

Good point, and I agree with you! They have definitely said enough already. Until we know what will happen, it is pointless to re-hash it. Thanks for the article. I'll read it in more detail later as I am just finishing a family visit. I managed to watch all of the event except for the Ice Dance. I'll have to get caught up in a few days. I'll also find the NBC broadcast & commentary. Hopefully it was positive.

[Elizabeth]

Remember that I said it could be a looooooooong time before we knew the medal results of the Team Competition at the Olympics due to the Valieva situation?

Today, there is a tiny bit of news: https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/c ... 388769002/

[happyheini]

Trust Russia to drag this out as long as possible to avoid admitting to the doping. Sigh.

[Elizabeth]

Someone has commented that the 2022 Olympic Team FS medals might not get presented until the 2026 Olympics, based on the possibility of so many appeals, etc.!

[kittykins]

Thanks for the update! That's pretty crazy. Oh for the day when people actually admit to breaking the rules instead of claiming it was "by accidental exposure" (the typical first response). In this case as she's a minor, it could even have been given to her against her knowledge I suppose, although she was clearly aware of the other oxygen enhancers as she wrote them on the form. I still wonder if she threw the Ladies competition to be more fair to her competitors. If that's the case I have more respect for her, but I feel she's just a young girl caught in a corrupt system. She couldn't control much in terms of what was given to her, but perhaps her performance was the only thing she could control. I hope the medal winners are all alive by the time they get this resolved (tongue in cheek).

[Elizabeth]

Hmmmmmmmmm - one has to wonder about what may be a further delaying tactic



RUSADA's press service apparently was quick to deny this report:
"RUSADA doesn't confirm the information. RUSADA doesn't disclose the details of the progress of the investigation."

"Once again, we draw your attention to the fact that, in accordance with the World Anti-Doping Code, the investigation was carried out in relation to the personnel of the protected person."

[kittykins]

I find this all very confusing. They'd be really unwise to not handle this correctly given Russia's current bad reputation in the sporting world and how they are banned from competing. I have very little faith that the correct people with be "blamed" or the people truly responsible will be held accountable. Thanks for keeping us up-to-date Elizabeth.

[Elizabeth]

Some comments from WADA on the situation in this article: https://www.brecorder.com/news/40198554 ... -ban-banka