Valieva Banned for Four Years, Effective December 25, 2021

I think it will be at the next Winter Olympics. And that in many ways, this would be better as many of their friends and family will be there to see them compete.
Not that many, most likely.

Retired/currently not expected to compete in 2026 from the 2022 USA team: Nathan Chen, Vincent Zhou, Karen Chen, Alexa Knierim/Brandon Frazier, Madison Hubbell/Zachary Donohue (both have definitely retired)
Recently retired from Team Japan: Shoma Uno, Misato Komatsubara/Tim Koleto

Lawrence Yee (Senior Editor at PEOPLE) posted this 30-second clip of Nathan speaking on behalf on Team USA at the Gold House Gala in Los Angeles on May 11: https://twitter.com/lawryee/status/1789490317416403317
 
So none of those people have friends in the skating world who will be at the Olympics? I'm pretty sure IAM will be there and Hubbell/Donahue coach for them so may be there in that capacity.

At the Summer Olympics, there will be no figure skaters and no figure skating officials or coaches. Unlike a Winter Olympics.
 
Here's where I think I might actually side with @Jammers in giving the USA and JPN their medals this summer in Paris instead of waiting until all the appeals are resolved - what if, heaven forbid, the ISU prevails in the Canadian appeal and the medals stand as currently decided by the ISU with Russia getting bronze? If we operate under the assumption that Russia ain't gonna be back in international competition by then, do we really think the IOC is going to want to bring those banned athletes (Kondratiuk, Mishina/Galliamov, and Sinitsa/Katsalapov), all of whom have shown visible, ongoing support of Putin's war, to Milano-Cortina for the medal ceremony? No way. They'd rather toss those bronze medals in the mail and not have them anywhere near any official Olympic venues, ceremonies, etc.

So, that's the worst case scenario right there. I suppose, if there is no ceremony this summer in Paris and the ISU prevails in the Canadian appeal, then we're probably going to wind up with some crappy, lowkey ceremony at Boston Worlds, just to prevent and preclude Russian athletes from being welcomed in any way, shape or form to Milano-Cortina.

Best case scenario is Canada wins the appeal and we get a great medal ceremony in Milano-Cortina for all three teams.
 
So none of those people have friends in the skating world who will be at the Olympics? I'm pretty sure IAM will be there and Hubbell/Donahue coach for them so may be there in that capacity.

At the Summer Olympics, there will be no figure skaters and no figure skating officials or coaches. Unlike a Winter Olympics.
The team itself declared that they wanted the medals presented in Paris. I think their preferences matter.
 
I think, after what the US and Japanese athletes have been through, there should be a ceremony in Paris - IDK where/when within the games would be appropriate - for the gold and silver to be formally awarded and acknowledged - and then (at least if Canada is eventually awarded bronze), there should be an additional podium event during the figure skating in 2026 (say right after the medal ceremony for the team event), at which the US and Japanese teams would be wearing their medals, Canada would receive the bronze, and they would have flags and the anthem in front of a figure skating audience. The IOC (and ISU) really OWE those teams, and they should be celebrated. (not imagining that this would actually happen, as IOC probably just wants to bury the whole thing, rather than giving the athletes their due, and having their own mis-steps in keeping athletes from getting their earned medals for over 2 years in the public eye during the Olympics).
 
I remind everyone that Valieva & Co. have filed an appeal and asked the appellate panel to reinstate Russia's gold medal in the Team Event. There cannot be medal ceremony until that appeal is resolved.

I am no expert here, but it is conceivable that the panel will dismiss the Russian appeal while the Canadian appeal is still pending. If that happened early enough, the IOC could hold a medal ceremony for at least the top two teams at this summer's Olympics. But that is a big if.
 
I remind everyone that Valieva & Co. have filed an appeal and asked the appellate panel to reinstate Russia's gold medal in the Team Event. There cannot be medal ceremony until that appeal is resolved.
We haven't forgotten about that appeal. It doesn't mean that the team has withdrawn their preferences for the medal ceremony in Paris. It's pretty unlikely, unfortunately.
 
They can't award silver and gold and then award bronze later, since gold is disputed as well. So no two presentations, unless CAS separates out the decisions and rules on one first. The athletes' preferences are moot until the appeals decision is rendered.
 
Of course, their preferences matter. But it looks like that is not going to happen. Preferences won't make the process go faster.
You were the one who said it would be better for them in 2026 because their friends and family would be there. I simply noted that is not better in their opinion.
 
Just wanted to acknowledge @Firedancer for first posting Brennan's tweet in this thread 2 days ago - I decided to bump up an older thread on the specific topic of the delayed team event medals: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...l-ceremony-updates.109694/page-2#post-6603073

Some Russians' reactions have been predictable so far. For example, from the Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Sports, Dmitry Svishchev:
“There are still no decisions from CAS on appeals regarding the final distribution of medals, and the IOC already wants to hang up the medals for the team tournament. This is absurd! Apparently, our Western colleagues can’t wait to take the gold and enjoy it. Especially at the Olympics in Paris, where most of our athletes were not allowed even in a neutral status. Even if we take the new results, then our team should receive bronze medals. However, no one invited us anywhere to discredit themselves,” Svishchev is quoted as saying in the committee’s Telegram channel.
 
Nov. 10, 2024 article - Figure skater Kamila Valieva eyes comeback after suspension: https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1149940/kamila-valieva-comeback-after-suspension
Russian figure skating sensation Kamila Valieva, who has been suspended since December 2021 for a doping violation, has announced her intention to return to competitive skating once her ban ends. In a statement to journalists, Valieva, now 18, expressed her strong desire to continue her career and to improve on her last performance at the Russian Championships.
"Of course I'm thinking about coming back because it's not the end for me," Valieva said, as quoted by Russian news agency TASS. "My last performance wasn't my best and it would be stupid to end my career at such a young age. I want to make my fans, coaches and myself proud."
As she gradually returns to training, Valieva noted that she is focusing on consistency with elements such as the triple toe loop and double axel. "I am working on building my confidence and plan to add more complexity to my routine, even without immediate competition," she added. The skater has about a year and a half until the end of her suspension, giving her time to prepare for her comeback.
"Kamila Valieva: Despair on the Ice—The Fate of Russian Athletes" - Documentary 360 (NHK World’s English version of their 50-minute documentary that originally aired in 🇯🇵 in early March 2024) was uploaded to their YT channel on Sept. 28, 2024: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yqf-QVHUFkk

ETA that every member of Team Japan, including Shoma Uno, participated in an Olympic team event ceremony at the 2024 NHK Trophy Gala on Sunday, Nov. 10 - I've posted an article and some photos here: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...-ceremony-updates.109694/page-25#post-6684477
 
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I watched an interview with Medvedeva, and she suggested that it's very possible someone may have spiked Valieva with the drug. This scenario seems quite plausible. However, I'm not saying this is necessarily what happened.
 
The one where she portrayed someone from a concentration camp, no doubt.
Wasn'it Ilinykh who did that, wearing rags?

As for Valieva's drink spiked, well, it was the only thing missing in the whole drama. But why not?
 
I watched an interview with Medvedeva, and she suggested that it's very possible someone may have spiked Valieva with the drug. This scenario seems quite plausible. However, I'm not saying this is necessarily what happened.
You mean her coaches spiked her with the drug?

People need to stop grasping over this, it's embarrassing.
 
I watched an interview with Medvedeva, and she suggested that it's very possible someone may have spiked Valieva with the drug. This scenario seems quite plausible. However, I'm not saying this is necessarily what happened.
Go read the CAS decision on this. A link was posted in this thread, but it's dead. I am sure you can find it with a proper search. It's probably on the CAS website. You can also read my summaries, which are still available in this thread.

The only real question is the degree to which Valieva was aware of what was being administered to her. Her wildly implausible stories about :grandpa: and the 🍓 🍰 suggest that she was well aware and is trying to cover for those close to her. She is certainly not the "pure and innocent girl" her coach claims she is.
 

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