Kamila Valieva practises as cloud remains over Games participation, IOC ‘certain as can be’ of decision before Feb 15

ByEurosport

Updated 12/02/2022 at 08:30 GMT

The IOC spokesperson Mark Adams says he is “certain as can be” that the cloud hanging over Kamila Valieva’s participation at the Olympic Games will be resolved before the individual programme starts on February 15. The International Testing Agency lodged an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport after the RUSADA Disciplinary Anti-Doping Committee’s decision to lift her provisional ban.

The IOC confirmed that it expected a decision on Kamila Valieva's participation at the Olympic Games to be made before the individual event gets under way on February 15.

The 15-year-old Russian superstar practised ahead of the individual event beginning on Tuesday as the legal wrangling over her participation at the Games continued.

The International Testing Agency (ITA) confirmed on Friday that she had returned a positive test for Trimetazidine at the Russian National Championships back in December. She was initially provisionally suspended by Russia’s anti-doping agency (RUSADA), but that suspension was swiftly lifted after an appeal to the RUSADA Disciplinary Anti-Doping Committee.

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The ITA released a statement saying that it would lead an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. CAS said on Friday it had registered the applications filed by WADA and the IOC, adding that arbitrators would be appointed shortly to decide the matter - the statement did not provide specifics on the date.

And at the joint IOC & Beijing 2022 daily briefing on Saturday, IOC spokesperson Mark Adams said that he was almost certain there would be a resolution ahead of Valieva’s proposed participation in the individual event.

“There will be a resolution of this specific case – which is whether the suspension will be lifted – I am certain of that,” said Adams before adding. “I am certain as I can be - obviously, I can’t be totally certain – but I am as certain as I can be on that specific issue.” The specific issue being whether Valieva should be provisionally suspended.

• Valieva doping scandal explained: Timeline, what is trimetazidine & what happens now?
• CAS to decide on Valieva's participation after positive test, ROC says she has 'right to take part'
• Valieva the first woman to land a quadruple jump as ROC win figure skating gold

It was also put to Adams that - strictly speaking - the matter of sanction for Valieva was between WADA and RUSADA given the Adverse Analytical Finding came outside of the Games.

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“Strictly speaking we didn’t have to [get involved],” began Adams.

“It does impact quite a lot on the Olympic Games here in Beijing and we thought it was important that we were involved in the process. By the letter of the law we did not have to get involved but it sent a signal that we want this solved as quickly as possible.”

Valieva is the overwhelming favourite for gold in the individual event, which begins on Tuesday with the short programme and concludes on Thursday with the free skate.

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