Kamila Valieva: IOC refuses to confirm if teen skater is at centre of doping controversy

The International Olympic Committee has refused to comment on whether the athlete at the centre of a doping controversy at Beijing 2022 is the 15-year-old Russian figure skater, Kamila Valieva, despite the teenager being named in multiple reports around the world.

Multiple sources have told the Guardian that Valieva, who captured the world’s attention when she became the first female skater to perform a quad at the Olympics, may be the athlete who tested positive for trimetazidine, a metabolic agent that helps prevent angina attacks. There has been no official confirmation that Valieva is the subject of the positive test and alongside the IOC, the Russian Olympic Committee and the International Skating Union are also refusing to confirm or deny if it was her.

Sources have suggested the test happened several weeks ago, raising questions about why it emerged only after the Russians won their figure skating team gold medal on Monday.

The Guardian understands that Valieva’s case is being heard at an emergency hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Beijing. If the speculation is correct, and it is Valieva who tested positive, then the Russian Olympic Committee will lose their team gold and she will not be able to compete at the individual event next week.

Valieva continued to train in Beijing on Thursday, but did not talk to the world’s media. However her training partner, Anastasia Gubanova, a Russian-born skater who represents Georgia, told reporters: “It would be very unfortunate for her if something bad happens because of this.”

A Russian skating official refused to comment when asked by the Guardian about Valieva’s case. The three Russian skaters in the men’s figure skating final also took a similar approach.

T