The power of Putin of course!
That's a good point. However it seems that their "career achievement" awards always seem to go to those who actually end up getting hardware. Plushenko did his job in Sochi (obviously he withdrew in the individual event but I think the only mission there was to win team gold). And obviously Medvedeva will go to Korea based on her body of work.
The US has awarded career achievements to whom? Skaters like Wagner who went to Sochi without a prayer of medalling, Rippon (apparently) to Pyeongchang and a national title after dumping Chen, giving Bradley a career achievement national title over a budding Ricky, etc.
Sentimentality seems to be a big reason for those "awards" in the US. If Russia uses the body of work or career achievement argument, the motivating factor is medals and good results. And they're usually not wrong.