Valieva’s doping case has dragged on: the answer will be announced at the end of September

After the conclusions of RUSADA, the hearing should be held by the disciplinary anti-doping committee

RUSADA has completed an investigation into the case of Kamila Valieva: how did the illegal drug get into the athlete’s sample, is the figure skater guilty, and will punishment follow. Now the disciplinary anti-doping committee must make a decision based on the results of the hearing. And, in turn, these hearings will be held in late September – early October. Deadlines are approximate.

The Disciplinary Anti-Doping Committee is a body that conducts activities independent of RUSADA. It includes eight people (lawyers, doctors) who do not work in the agency, but after listening to the versions of what happened from RUSADA, the athlete and his representatives, they make a decision – guilty or not – based on existing anti-doping rules. Hearings prefer not to stretch, most often they take place during the day.

In the case of Kamila Valieva, they can take place in late September – early October, Veronika Loginova, Director General of RUSADA, confirmed this to TASS. The investigation has been completed, but now the procedure for “processing the results in accordance with international norms and requirements” is underway.

Valieva’s positive doping test for trimetazidine was made public in February during the 2022 Olympics in Beijing. The very same sample was taken in December at the Russian Championship, it was checked in the Stockholm laboratory in violation of the deadlines, so the test result was already announced at the Games (and not before them, as it should have been).

The Russian figure skaters won the team tournament, but, as you know, there was no award at the Olympic Games, it was postponed due to the news of Kamila’s positive test. Medals all this time are waiting not only for our athletes, but also for the Americans, who became the second, and the Japanese. The Americans have already stated that they should receive gold, the Japanese – silver, and the fourth Canadians – bronze.

RUSADA has completed an investigation into the case of Kamila Valieva: how did the illegal drug get into the athlete’s sample, is the figure skater guilty, and will punishment follow. Now the disciplinary anti-doping committee must make a decision based on the results of the hearing. Of course, I would like the acquittal decision to be made finally, without doubts and mistrust. But this is hardly possible. If Camila is acquitted, this will not be the final result of the case.

Interested parties – and these are the ISU, WADA and the International Olympic Committee – can appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport the decision made by our anti-doping committee. To do this, organizations will have 21 days after receiving the case documents. And, there is no doubt that in the case of an acquittal, they will do it.

The conclusions of CAS can also be challenged, but I don’t even want to look so far. There is too much at stake. And not only for us, including the specific gold medals of the Beijing 2022 team tournament: who will receive them after the final decision?

RUSADA was studying the issue without leaking information. The version that was voiced back in Beijing – the banned drug got to Camila through a glass from which the grandfather drank, taking heart medicine – can only be refuted or confirmed by those experts who have studied all the subtleties of what happened. At least, to admit such probability or not to admit. Considering Kamila’s 15-year-old age at the time of the Olympic Games, RUSADA also took care of the athlete’s environment, including coach Eteri Tutberidze.

If the hearings of the disciplinary anti-doping committee are held at the end of September – beginning of October, then we will probably find out the decision on the Kamila case after the test skates of our skaters. The screenings will take place on September 24-25 in Moscow, Valieva was on the preliminary lists. But the FFKKR promised to publish the final lists of participants on the eve of the event.

Kamila Valieva is training, she has new programs. She is also included in the ISU anti-doping pool for the season. But – with more stringent conditions than usual. Athletes from the registered (rather than expanded) pool, in which Valiyeva is now in, need to indicate daily the hour during which doping officers can find her. If a failure occurs, the athlete will receive a flag for the missed test. Three flags within 12 months – Disqualification for an anti-doping rule violation.