CAS rules Valieva can compete - reactions/fallout, plus some details from the hearing

[VALuvsMKwan]

Maybe they moved on to bigger drugs. I only get high on Nutella.

Are you sure you really don't eat only white chocolate?

 

[LeafOnTheWind]

I understand why Richardson is aggrieved, but she's an adult and Valieva isn't.

Has there been an equivalent case with an athlete who is a protected person at this level of competition?

Yelim Kim at age 13 was facing up to a year suspension for missing a doping test. She was let off with a warning. She is on Twitter/Instagram condemning the decision for Valieva to continue competing.

 

[overedge]

I'm not spouting. That`s my personal experience.

You felt it necessary to point out that your roommates were black, and that the stinky pot parties they had were all attended by black people. And you mentioned this in the context that one of the many, many athletes criticizing the CAS decision is black. Your personal experience seems to be one of being prejudiced.

 

[trouble77]

Chelsea Liu has also posted on her IG - https://instagram.com/stories/chels...ce=ig_story_item_share&utm_medium=share_sheet

And the Russia-bots are already on the attack against Meagan Duhamel - https://instagram.com/stories/meaga...ce=ig_story_item_share&utm_medium=share_sheet

Filip Taschler & Lana Petranovic also shared Yuna Kim's IG post.

Because of this scandal I think Russian figure skaters will be more conscious about taking anything.

 

[Prancer]

I'm not spouting. That`s my personal experience.

Okay, so you've shared it and shown yourself. Congratulations.

This is another fruitless discussion that is going to nowhere good, so let's move on.

 

[Tahuu]

IOC's response: https://olympics.com/ioc/news/ioc-e...lowing-cas-decision-on-the-case-of-roc-skater

The IOC has to follow the rule of law and will therefore have to allow her to compete in the Women’s Single Skating competition on Tuesday, 15 February 2022 and, if qualified, on 17 February 2022.

The CAS has clearly expressed that the decision taken by the Ad-hoc Division today is not a decision on whether Ms Valieva violated the anti-doping rules. It was limited to the sole question of whether Ms Valieva could be provisionally suspended from the Olympic competition following a positive A-sample taken on 25 December 2021.

The management of the case after this positive A-sample has not yet been concluded. Only after due process has been followed can it be established whether Ms Valieva infringed the World Anti-Doping Code (WADC) and would have to be sanctioned.

This inconclusive situation led the IOC EB to the following decisions, after having had initial consultations with the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) concerned:

1. In the interest of fairness to all athletes and the NOCs concerned, it would not be appropriate to hold the medal ceremony for the figure skating team event during the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 as it would include an athlete who on the one hand has a positive A-sample, but whose violation of the anti-doping rules has not yet been established on the other hand.

2. Should Ms Valieva finish amongst the top three competitors in the Women’s Single Skating competition, no flower ceremony and no medal ceremony will take place during the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022.

3. The IOC requests the International Skating Union (ISU), for reasons of fairness, to allow a 25th competitor to participate in the free skating part of the competition on 17 February, in case Ms Valieva is ranked in the first 24 of the short programme on 15 February.

4. The IOC will, in consultation with the athletes and NOCs concerned, organise dignified medal ceremonies once the case of Ms Valieva has been concluded.

===

ETA link to ISU's initial response: https://www.isu.org/isu-news/news/1...re-skater-kamila-valieva-roc?templateParam=15

4 February 2022 Lausanne / Switzerland

Following the hearing of the Ad hoc Division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in the arbitration procedures relating to Figure Skater Kamila Valieva (ROC), the International Skating Union (ISU) duly noted and will respect the ruling namely that the provisional suspension of Ms. Valieva remains lifted.

The ISU awaits to receive the award with grounds and needs time to assess before making any further comments.

ETA (2) that ISU's followup response has since been copied out in post #33 here: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...none-for-the-women.109428/page-2#post-6204855

To be fair, the team medal ceremony, excluding Team ROC, with Team USA getting silver and Team JPN bronze, and women's medal ceremony, excluding Valieva, should be presented and broadcasted to the world.

How could IOC allow a doping suspect hold clean athletes hostage and impose irreparable harm to them?

 

[Karen-W]

Because of this scandal I think Russian figure skaters will be more conscious about taking anything.

You mean they'll be more conscious about taking anything that can be detected.

I'd say surely you cannot be as naive as you are presenting here but I've read your other comments about who uses pot and your belief that it's a gateway drug, so maybe you really are just that naive and trusting.

 

[attyfan]

...

How could IOC allow a doping suspect hold clean athletes hostage and impose irreparable harm to them?

IMO, the IOC cannot be blamed for a decision of the CAS. It is the CAS that is allowing a doping suspect to harm clean athletes.

 

[AYS]

Because of this scandal I think Russian figure skaters will be more conscious about taking anything.

This is hilarious. They're not even competing under the Russian flag, they're competing as ROC because they are banned because of Russia's state-run doping scandal. And you think this will make them more conscious about taking anything.

 

[Sylvia]

I had posted a link to Global Athlete's tweeted statement (screenshot) earlier - it is now posted on their website:

The Global Sport and Anti-Doping System Needs Immediate Reform

14 February 2022: Today is another example of the failures of the global sport and anti-doping system. The fact that Kamila Valieva, a fifteen-year-old Russian figure skater, has been found to have a performance enhancing substance in her system is evidence of abuse of a minor. Sport should be protecting its athletes, not damaging them.

Doping and the trauma of a positive test pose grave physical and psychological risks to all athletes but especially to minors. It is unacceptable that these risks have been placed on a fifteen-year-old.

The volume of abuses athletes have endured over the decades can undeniably be attributed to the power imbalance that sport leaders, administrators, and coaches have over athletes. This power imbalance can only be resolved through an equal partnership between athletes and sporting administrators. Athletes must have independent professional representation and the ability to collectively bargain.

It is blatantly clear that Valieva would have never been placed in this position if the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) had done their jobs and banned Russia from global sport. Russia has never been incentivized to reform because sport leaders favored politics over principle and rebranding over banning.

Athletes have lost confidence in the global anti-doping system. Calls for reform of WADA have been persistent and loud, but they have been continually cast aside and ignored by those seeking to maintain centralized unaccountable power. Sport administrators fear a robust, fully independent, and effective anti-doping system precisely because such a system would hold the perpetrators of institutional doping accountable.

The doping of Kamila Valieva must be a wake-up call for every fan, parent, and athlete to stand together to demand reform. The doping of minor athletes must be stopped. Any country that systematically dopes its athletes cannot be allowed to participate in international sport.

Global Athlete will continue to push for change by working with athletes, athlete groups, and human rights leaders to demand IOC, WADA, and CAS reforms. The status quo is no longer acceptable.

"The Global Sport and Anti-Doping System Needs Immediate Reform" (Global Athlete statement on the Kamila Valieva ruling by CAS): https://twitter.com/GlobalAthleteHQ/status/1493125785930059777

Global Athlete

globalathlete.org

WHAT IS GLOBAL ATHLETE

Global Athlete is an international athlete-led movement that will inspire and lead positive change in world sport, and collectively address the balance of power between athletes and administrators. We aim to help athletes gain a more represented voice in world sport, recognising that the neglection and suppression of the athlete voice has gone on for too long.

We aim to bring sport into the twenty-first century by mobilizing athletes, following the unprecedented uprising in which athletes have called for enhanced rights and major changes to the way sport is run.

Whether it be athlete welfare, unlocking athletes’ marketing potential, ensuring athletes receive Olympic revenues or simply better representation at the decision-making table, Global Athlete will fearlessly tackle the issues that really matter, working with athletes to determine what needs to change and how to go about changing it.

Global Athlete is funded by FairSport.

 

[Tahuu]

IMO, the IOC cannot be blamed for a decision of the CAS. It is the CAS that is allowing a doping suspect to harm clean athletes.

I mean CAS ruled that Valieva can compete in Beijing and IOC should follow the ruling and let her compete. But IOC now decided to delay both the team and women's ceremonies until the completion of doping investigation. That's a bad decision. They should continue to hold the ceremonies and award the medals to the other winners without the presence team ROC and Valieva.

 

[overedge]

I mean CAS ruled that Valieva can compete in Beijing and IOC should follow the ruling and let her compete. But IOC now decided to delay both the team and women's ceremonies until the completion of doping investigation. That's a bad decision. They should continue to hold the ceremonies and award the medals to the other winners without the presence team ROC and Valieva.

As awful as it is, until or unless the results are overturned, Russia is still the winner of the team event. The IOC really can't have a medal ceremony that would exclude any of the current medalists.

 

[Tahuu]

As awful as it is, until or unless the results are overturned, Russia is still the winner of the team event. The IOC really can't have a medal ceremony that would exclude any of the current medalists.

It's totally justified to award the team silver and bronze and not yet award Team ROC the gold as they are under doping investigation.

 

[overedge]

It's totally justified to award the team silver and bronze and exclude Team ROC as they are under doping investigation.

That's not the point. They're still, officially, the winners of the event. The IOC is doing the safe thing by not awarding the medals until the investigation is complete.

 

[Sylvia]

Twitter thread by journalist Kalyn Kahler (who wrote the Defector.com article that has its own thread in GSD) - copied out below: https://twitter.com/kalynkahler/status/1493328419114962947

Just talked to Arthur Liu, dad of Team USA skater Alysa Liu. He is big mad about the CAS' decision to let Valieva compete. "I just simply can't believe the 'irreparable harm' to her. How about the irreparable harm to other clean athletes? You are depriving them."

Arthur Liu says Alysa is trying to focus now, but, "It is going to be very hard for all the clean athletes to see that the Russians are doping and they are going to walk away, run away with all the medals and you can’t do anything about it."

"If I had known this system was so rigged & officials were so blatantly ignoring the facts & the law & WADA code, I would probably not have put Alysa in skating. Why would you want to put your kids into a sport that is so obviously rigged?
Not only rigged by the skaters & coaches but also by the officials!"

Arthur says Kamila should be held responsible even though she is 15. "Alysa has been tested since she was 12 or 13 years old and she knows what she is supposed to take and what she’s not supposed to take. Even when she was a junior, when she was 12, during nationals she got really sick and I didn't give her any medication because of concerns of doping. I didn't even give her any medication, she was so sick."

I asked if anyone who has coached/worked with Alysa has ever brought up doping to keep up with the Russians quads:"No, no, no. Nobody, no coaches here in Alysa’s career has ever offered to dope her & I would never have allowed it. That is pure a child abuse. Child endangerment."

"Eteri started the quadruple revolution in ladies figure skating with the aid of drugs. They cause other skaters to try to match them technically, without the aid of drugs, often causing injuries to themselves! What an uneven play field!"

Also, Arthur Liu will not be watching the Russian women skate. "I am not going to watch the Russian ladies. Who cares what they do? They could land a quintuple jump, who cares!"

 

[Allskate]

It's totally justified to award the team silver and bronze and exclude Team ROC as they are under doping investigation.

It is the IOC's position that Valieva broke the rules. If they believe that ROC therefore should not have the gold and that the American team should receive gold medals and the Japanese should receive silver, then it is understandable why they would not hold a medal ceremony giving them different medals. This is one of many reasons why the CAS decision was so bad. They only considered the impact on Valieva.

 

[Tahuu]

That's not the point. They're still, officially, the winners of the event. The IOC is doing the safe thing by not awarding the medals until the investigation is complete.

No. The point is the doping investigation shouldn't impact the other winners and deprive of their glory on the biggest stage. They are not asking the IOC to award gold to USA and silver to JPN. Their rights shouldn't be taken away by a doping suspect or it will be irreparable.

 

[MsZem]

Arthur says Kamila should be held responsible even though she is 15. "Alysa has been tested since she was 12 or 13 years old and she knows what she is supposed to take and what she’s not supposed to take. Even when she was a junior, when she was 12, during nationals she got really sick and I didn't give her any medication because of concerns of doping. I didn't even give her any medication, she was so sick."

I don't think withholding medication from a sick child is something to be proud of.

What's going on isn't fair to any of the skaters, and whatever happens next, I hope it will lead to changes that will be in their best interests.

 

[Karen-W]

No. The point is the doping investigation shouldn't impact the other winners and deprive of their glory on the biggest stage. They are not asking the IOC to award gold to USA and silver to JPN. Their rights shouldn't be taken away by a doping suspect or it will be irreparable.

Well, but the point is that, in delaying the medal ceremony, the IOC and ISU clearly do believe that they will be depriving the rightful podium winners of their correct medals.

What's more, holding a ceremony where the 1st place spot is empty will only provide additional fodder for the Russian propaganda machine. It's better to not have it. Those skaters will get their medals and they'll have their moment to celebrate.

 

[Allskate]

Their rights shouldn't be taken away by a doping suspect or it will be irreparable.

Either way, there is irreparable harm to the other teams. And to the sport and the Olympics. Now that Valieva is not suspended, there is no good solution.

 

[Tahuu]

It is the IOC's position that Valieva broke the rules. If they believe that ROC therefore should not have the gold and that the American team should receive gold medals and the Japanese should receive silver, then it is understandable why they would not hold a medal ceremony giving them different medals. This is one of many reasons why the CAS decision was so bad. They only considered the impact on Valieva.

I think the athletes would prefer to be awarded their silver and bronze now in Beijing and re-awarded the gold, silver and bronze later at home should the investigation confirm ROC's wrongdoing.

 

[overedge]

No. The point is the doping investigation shouldn't impact the other winners and deprive of their glory on the biggest stage. They are not asking the IOC to award gold to USA and silver to JPN. Their rights shouldn't be taken away by a doping suspect or it will be irreparable.

As long as Russia is officially listed as the event winner, it's the event winner. There's nothing in the IOC rules about taking away a medal while an investigation is underway. That would be unfair if the investigation showed later on that the results were justified. I'm not saying this to defend Russia, I'm just pointing out that the IOC doesn't really have the right to hold a medal ceremony and exclude a medal winner who is still officially the winner of that medal.

 

[overedge]

I don't think withholding medication from a sick child is something to be proud of.

Or making them compete, if they're that sick.

 

[Karen-W]

I think the athletes would prefer to be awarded their silver and bronze now in Beijing and re-awarded the gold, silver and bronze later at home should the investigation confirm ROC's wrongdoing.

Have you checked with them? I'm pretty sure that at least two of them would like to receive the CORRECT medal, judging by the fact that Wakaba Higuchi liked the USOPC statement tweet and Chris Knierim has also tweeted on the subject (but maybe he hasn't communicated with his wife on the topic yet).

 

[Allskate]

I think the athletes would prefer to be awarded their silver and bronze now in Beijing and re-awarded the gold, silver and bronze later at home should the investigation confirm ROC's wrongdoing.

That's probably true of at least some of the skaters. Which is one of the reasons why this whole situation is so bad. I agree with @overedge that at this point, the IOC may not be able to hold a medal ceremony that excludes the current official winner. I have lots of problems with the IOC, but IMO this is Russia's fault, not the IOC's fault. I feel really bad for the American and Japanese skaters who would like to be on the podium in Beijing.

 

[Tahuu]

Well, but the point is that, in delaying the medal ceremony, the IOC and ISU clearly do believe that they will be depriving the rightful podium winners of their correct medals.

What's more, holding a ceremony where the 1st place spot is empty will only provide additional fodder for the Russian propaganda machine. It's better to not have it. Those skaters will get their medals and they'll have their moment to celebrate.

Just the opposite. A medal ceremony w/o the gold winner is a clear message to the world that ROC is under doping investigation, which the best punishment to them under the circumstance.

 

[mackiecat]

I don't think withholding medication from a sick child is something to be proud of.

What's going on isn't fair to any of the skaters, and whatever happens next, I hope it will lead to changes that will be in their best interests.

Well as a parent of a skater at this level it is a reality.

 

[overedge]

Just the opposite. A medal ceremony w/o the gold winner is a clear message to the world that ROC is under doping investigation, which the best punishment to them under the circumstance.

Until or if the IOC overturns the results, Russia is the winner. And I don't think the world is unaware that a doping investigation is going on.

 

[sk9tingfan]

I don't think withholding medication from a sick child is something to be proud of.

What's going on isn't fair to any of the skaters, and whatever happens next, I hope it will lead to changes that will be in their best interests.

Ashley Wagner's most recent tweet/thread:

https://twitter.com/AshWagner2010/status/1493200901435240450

 

[sk9tingfan]

Until or if the IOC overturns the results, Russia is the winner. And I don't think the world is unaware that a doping investigation is going on.

Oh, really? It's all over the news whether through TV, the web and published news sources. You'd have to have your head in the sand not to know.