Category: Kamila Valieva

Olympic Chief Criticizes Valieva Coach’s ‘Chilling’ Reaction, Kremlin Hits Back

BEIJING—The Kremlin on Friday responded to comments by the Olympic chief, in which he said he was “disturbed” watching Russian teen skater Kamila Valieva crumble under pressure and hit out at the 15-year-old’s coach for her “chilling” reaction. In a press conference earlier on Friday, International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach said he had…


Beijing Tacitly Welcomes Media Spotlight on Russian Olympic Doping Case

News Analysis Reporting of a positive drug test by Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva is welcome news to Chinese state media. The latter have been working hard to deflect from any reporting on human rights abuses taking place in the country. Dodging any questions that pertain to issues such as the treatment of Uyghurs, tennis player…


Russian Figure Skater’s Team Claims Doping Test Result May Be Due to Grandfather’s Heart Medication

Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva’s earlier positive doping test result may have been due to her grandfather’s heart medication, the teenager’s legal team and an Olympic official said. Denis Oswald, the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) permanent chair of the disciplinary commission, said on Tuesday that the teenage athlete claimed her test may have been contaminated…


Olympic Court: Valieva Will Testify in Doping Case Hearing

BEIJING—Figure skater Kamila Valieva will testify by video at an appeal hearing Sunday that will decide if the 15-year-old Russian star can still compete at the Beijing OIympics despite an ongoing doping case. Just 30 minutes ahead of the hearing’s scheduled 8:30 p.m. start in Beijing, Court of Arbitration for Sport director general Matthieu Reeb…


Coach Defends Skater Valieva, CAS to Hold Sunday Hearing on Case

BEIJING—The Russian coach of the 15-year-old figure skater embroiled in an Olympic doping scandal broke her silence to defend Kamila Valieva on Saturday, while the sport’s highest court said it would hold a hearing on Valieva’s Winter Games future on Sunday. Coach Eteri Tutberidze said she was certain Valieva was “clean and innocent” in an…


Russian Skater Valieva Failed Drug Test, Olympics Fate to Be Decided by Urgent Hearing

BEIJING—Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva’s right to compete in the women’s event at the Beijing Olympics will be decided at an urgent hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The International Testing Agency (ITA)—on behalf of the International Olympic Committee (IOC)—said Friday it would fight a decision by Russia’s anti-doping agency to allow…


Russian Star Valieva Practices Despite Report of Positive Drug Test

BEIJING—Kamila Valieva, the 15-year-old Russian superstar who was expected to deliver her nation its third straight Olympic gold medal in women’s figure skating, practiced as usual Thursday, hours after reports that she tested positive for a banned substance. Valieva tested positive for a banned heart medication before the Beijing Games, the Russian newspaper RBC reported….


Valieva Breaks Women’s Figure Skating Short Program World Record in Sochi

Russian teenager Kamila Valieva broke the women’s short program world record at the Rostelecom Cup in Sochi on Friday, setting a new ISU high score of 87.42 points to mark herself as a favorite for figure skating gold at next year’s Winter Olympics. Valieva’s score at the Iceberg Skating Palace was nearly two points better…