IOC supported WADA’s intention to appeal RUSADA’s decision in Valieva’s case

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) supported the intention of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to appeal the decision of the Disciplinary Anti-Doping Committee (DAC) of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) to acquit figure skater Kamila Valieva, who was previously accused of doping.

January 13 RUSADA informed WADA on its decision regarding the athlete. The Russian agency found that although Kamila Valieva committed an anti-doping rule violation, she bears “no fault” for it. The court did not impose any sanctions, except for the annulment of her results on the date of sampling – December 25, 2021. On this day, Kamila Valieva won a gold medal at the Russian Championship in St. Petersburg.

“The IOC welcomes WADA’s announcement to conduct a full review of RUSADA’s decision in order to consider further action and the possibility of considering the case as soon as possible without further undue delay,” the IOC press service said (quoted by TASS).

The Olympic Committee added that only after completing the consideration of the case, the International Skating Union will be able to establish the final results of the team tournament, and the IOC will decide on the distribution of medals.

On December 25, 2021, WADA found traces of the banned drug trimetazidine in a sample of 15-year-old Kamila Valieva. The results of the examination were made public in February 2022, after the Beijing Olympics. The figure skater claims that the drug could have entered her body by accident.

Daria Erozbek