Russia in another doping scandal

Skater Valieva tests positive for banned substance at Winter Olympics

Eight years after Team Russia ran a sophisticated state-sanctioned doping programme that involved passing dirty samples through a hole in a wall, and two years after it was punished by having to call itself by a ridiculous acronym containing the word Russia and wear a marginally modified version of the Russian flag, we are doing this again. It’s hard to believe those crippling sanctions did not teach Russia a lesson!

The International Testing Association (ITA) confirmed on Friday that 15-year-old Russian, sorry ROC, figure skater Kamila Valieva had tested positive for a banned substance called trimetazidine.

It is most commonly prescribed to treat angina, chest pain caused by a heart that is not getting enough oxygen, not a condition commonly found in teenagers. Trimetazidine increases blood flow to the heart, which could be helpful if your heart is engaged in, say, vigorous exercise.

The World Anti-doping Agency

(Wada) defines trimetazidine as a stimulant and has banned its use by athletes in competition since 2014, and at all times since 2015. Chinese swimmer Sun Yang, a three-time Olympic gold medallist and 11-time world champion, served a three-month doping suspension in 2014 for using it; he has said he was treating a heart condition.

According to the ITA, Valieva was tested on December 25, during the Russian national championships. Her sample was not run until February 7, when it came back positive. In the meantime, she had competed in and helped win the team competition at the Olympics.

The Russian Anti-doping Agency automatically suspended her, provisionally. She requested a hearing and the next day, RUSADA unsuspended her.

That’s right, the Russian agency identified that a Russian athlete had doped, then unilaterally announced she hadn’t.

The International Olympic Committee, and let’s make sure not to elide its responsibility in all this, announced on Friday it would appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The International Skating Union and Wada will appeal as well.

ITA says the Russian star skater tested positive for trimetazidine

/Getty Images Kamila Valieva of Team Russia skates during the Women Single Skating Free Skating Team Event on day three of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at Capital Indoor Stadium on February 7 in China.