WADA chief uncomfortable with former Valieva coach at Milano Games

MILAN, Feb 5 : The head of the World Anti-Doping Agency said on Thursday he felt uncomfortable at the presence at the Milano Cortina Olympics of Eteri Tutberidze, former coach of Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva who was at the heart of a doping scandal at the Beijing 2022 Games.

Tutberidze, who was not found guilty by WADA of any offence in relation to Valieva's positive test and never faced any sanction, is currently working with European champion Nika Egadze of Georgia and has arrived in Milan as an accredited coach.

"WADA did not accredit the coach. It is not our decision," WADA President Witold Banka told a press conference.

"The coach is here. An investigation found no evidence that this particular person engaged in a doping process so there is no legal basis to exclude her from the Olympic Games.

"But, of course, if you ask my personal feeling, I don't feel comfortable with her presence here at the Olympic Games," Banka added.

At the 2022 Games, Valieva, who was 15, became the first woman to complete a quadruple jump at the Olympics in the team event as Russia won gold.

A day later, however, it emerged she had tested positive for banned substance trimetazidine at the Russian national championships in December 2021, just weeks before the 2022 Olympics, triggering a media furore.

Russian Tutberidze has repeatedly denied any involvement in doping with any of her skaters and always said their welfare was her top priority.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) authorised Valieva to take part in the women's singles event in Beijing four years ago despite her positive test but said medals for the team event would not be allocated until her case was settled.

Valieva then finished fourth in the women's individual figure