WADA demanded to disqualify Valiev for 4 years and give Olympic gold to the USA

The Court of Arbitration for Sport registered the appeal of the World Anti-Doping Agency in the case of the figure skater

WADA is seeking a four-year ban on Kamila Valieva for an anti-doping rule violation, with all results voided from December 25, 2021, i.e. from the time a positive sample was taken. But so far, things have not moved forward for the general public: we have neither a reason for panic, nor for unbridled optimism.

Information about WADA requirements appeared on the official website of the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which registered the agency’s appeal in the case of Kamila Valieva. According to WADA President Vitold Banka, the organization went to the appeal without waiting for Russia’s decision, since the World Anti-Doping Agency notified RUSADA of the necessary time frame for making a decision. It turns out, and this is new information for us, that a specific number was named. If the results of the investigation into the Valieva case are not submitted to the organization by November 4, WADA will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

What happened: on November 8, Camila’s case ended up in CAS. RUSADA, as informed, did not publicly announce the decision and did not comment on the progress of the investigation, since Valieva is a protected person (she was 15 years old at the time of the positive doping test).

The worst case scenario is now: if CAS (who allowed Kamila to the individual tournament during the Olympic Games by its own decision) takes the side of the prosecution, then Valieva will lose the titles received since the date of the test. What period of suspension from the competition will be chosen by the court in case of a guilty plea depends on various factors – the credibility of the explanations, the work of lawyers, etc. But it is clear that WADA is now demanding the maximum penalty for such a violation, which has been proven. In reality, the period may be reduced due to various extenuating circumstances. True, the titles will still not be saved.

The athlete may lose the gold of the Russian championship, in which case Alexander Trusova will become the new champion. The gold of the European Championship will go to Anna Shcherbakova. And not only Camila, but also Victoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katsalapov, Mark Kondratyuk, Anastasia Mishina and Alexander Gallyamov are losing the title of Olympic champions in the Beijing 2022 figure skating team tournament. The victory in this case will go to the US team. The awards ceremony following the results of the team tournament has not yet taken place due to the consideration of the case.

Is there any reason to hope that RUSADA and the athlete will be able to prove during the hearings that doping was accidentally ingested by the figure skater? The answer is up in the air. Because we have no information either about the investigation, which has been going on for nine months, or about the conclusions of RUSADA, or about the meeting of the disciplinary anti-doping committee that was or was not held, which was supposed to put an end to it, we do not have. Valieva’s case was classified, and the version of the entry of a prohibited drug into the body, which was voiced during the Games – through grandfather’s glass, remained the only one voiced. It’s funny to someone or not funny, but the other is not. Official representatives of RUSADA refuse to comment even after the announcement of WADA requirements.

CAS notes that the Russian Anti-Doping Agency did not meet the “reasonable time” for reviewing the case, established by WADA rules. Now the case will be considered in court, the hearings will be held with three arbitrators: from WADA, from RUSADA and Kamila Valieva, the third arbitrator, who will become the chairman of the process, will be selected by the CAS Appeals Department. The deadline for the appeal is not specified.