Russian Figure Skater tests positive for drugs - delays ceremony for team medals

[allezfred]

Brennan is absolutely loving the fact that her voice was used. She got another column out of it.

 

[Spikefan]

Brennan is absolutely loving the fact that her voice was used. She got another column out of it.

There is definitely a mutualistic relationship between Brennan and Eteri.

 

[Bouffantrex]

There is definitely a mutualistic relationship between Brennan and Eteri.

Oh please. Even if you don't respect Brennan, this is a ridiculous bad faith comparison.

 

[antmanb]

There is something vaguely ironic about a pseud talking about bad faith anything.

 

[PeterG]

The decision on Valieva will be made in October.

October 2023 or October 2024?

 

[leilaofpaper]

October 2023 or October 2024?

Obviously October 2026, don’t want to cause the heartbreak of her missing a second Olympics.

 

[Sylvia]

Article published on Sept. 29:

Valieva’s hearings likely in October - but verdict may not be made public

Disciplinary hearings following the investigation into figure skater Kamila Valieva’s failed drugs test are "tentatively" scheduled for October, accor...

www.insidethegames.biz

Disciplinary hearings following the investigation into figure skater Kamila Valieva’s failed drugs test are "tentatively" scheduled for October, according to Veronika Loginova, director of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA).
She also hinted that, as Valieva - who turned 16 on April 26 this year - was only a minor of 15 at the time the sample was taken on December 25 2021, RUSADA may not make the hearing results public.
Loginova gave the latest information on a case that caught world attention after emerging during the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics during a forum entitled "Russia - A Sporting Power" in the city of Kemerovo.
"The investigation focused on the staff involved, including management," she said.
"The date for the announcement of the result is tentatively set for October."

As reported by Russia's official state news agency TASS Loginova added: "There are special rules for public disclosure regarding a protected person.
"I can't say yet whether it will be published or not."
She also underlined that the decision would be made behind closed doors, insisting: "The Anti-Doping Disciplinary Committee is not an organisational structure.
"No one can influence the decision of the Committee - neither RUSADA nor any third parties."
Loginova told TASS earlier this month that the investigation into Valieva’s case had been completed on Wednesday September 14.

 

[MacMadame]

So the investigation focused on adults who are not minors but they won't tell us the results because she's a minor? That seems a bit convoluted. Also, if they aren't going to announce the results, then it seems like she isn't going to be stripped of any titles as you can't do that and not have people know.

 

[On My Own]

Happiness that Russia is banned - even if for a different reason - keeps increasing with each article and comment about this.

 

[kwanfan1818]

It reads to me that RUSADA reports to The Committee, and The Committee makes its decision without tying their decision, publicly and/or privately, to the specific RUSADA findings.

This is very clever, because RUSADA can act as if it were doing the right thing and keep its standing, but claim they were overruled by The Committee, or, at least, didn't make the decision.

Is it The Committee that would be subject to any CAS appeal?

 

[chantilly]

Oh those Russians!

 

[Willin]

And somehow I don't think the adults will get punished either, not with Eteri opening her new multimillion dollar training center funded by the government.

 

[Karen-W]

It reads to me that RUSADA reports to The Committee, and The Committee makes its decision without tying their decision, publicly and/or privately, to the specific RUSADA findings.

This is very clever, because RUSADA can act as if it were doing the right thing and keep its standing, but claim they were overruled by The Committee, or, at least, didn't make the decision.

Is it The Committee that would be subject to any CAS appeal?

Yes, whatever ruling the Anti-Disciplinary Committee (which is a part of RUSADA, regardless of what sort of word play Loginova is engaging in with those comments) makes is supposed to be independent, but it is also then reported to WADA for international enforcement, and WADA can appeal if the punishment is, in their view, outside of the norm for similar cases.

 

[soogar]

And somehow I don't think the adults will get punished either, not with Eteri opening her new multimillion dollar training center funded by the government.

As much as people hate Eteri, she is not a doctor and can't prescribe or give this heart drug to Valieva. I don't believe that Valieva would take this drug without the supervision of a doctor.

 

[On My Own]

Yes, a prescription is what is usually needed in a state doping program.

 

[barbarafan]

As much as people hate Eteri, she is not a doctor and can't prescribe or give this heart drug to Valieva. I don't believe that Valieva would take this drug without the supervision of a doctor.

You can be sure that no doctor at Eteri's rink would be giving any of her skaters anything without Eteri's request and intervention.

 

[Trillian]

As much as people hate Eteri, she is not a doctor and can't prescribe or give this heart drug to Valieva. I don't believe that Valieva would take this drug without the supervision of a doctor.

Omg you’re right, coaches have never worked alongside doctors and been fully complicit or even overseeing the whole operation in past doping incidents. I can’t believe nobody else here thought of that. Anyone want to volunteer to write the letter to WADA explaining why Eteri can’t possibly be heavily involved? I would, but I just rolled my eyes so hard I sprained them.

 

[soogar]

Omg you’re right, coaches have never worked alongside doctors and been fully complicit or even overseeing the whole operation in past doping incidents. I can’t believe nobody else here thought of that. Anyone want to volunteer to write the letter to WADA explaining why Eteri can’t possibly be heavily involved? I would, but I just rolled my eyes so hard I sprained them.

Ultimately the doctor is the one with the professional responsibility of dispensing the drug. Technically Eteri can argue that she doesn't know anything because of doctor patient confidentiality. None of the other girls tested positive for drugs and they had to give blood samples at the Games. Eteri can talk all she wants about finding a substitute for Meldonium, but she isn't medically qualified to analyze any drug and its effect on an athlete's recovery/performance. When it comes to taking away her livelihood or sanctioning her, it's going to come down to how much evidence there is that ties her with the drug in Valieva's system, and not fans' opinion on her. If it were any other coach or country, people would not assume that one athlete testing positive is indicative of guilt of an entire team. The British relay team was stripped of its medal and no one is claiming that team Britain as a whole promotes doping. All there is is speculation that the Russians must dope since they do quads and triple axels, yet there is a Japanese skater on the junior circuit who landed a quad toe and triple axel. She must be taking something as well with that logic applied. It can't possibly be because these kids have access to harnesses, specialized training and mostly likely unlimited ice from a very young age. Plus they believe they can do these elements because their coaching team believes they can do them.

 

[Vagabond]

As much as people hate Eteri, she is not a doctor and can't prescribe or give this heart drug to Valieva. I don't believe that Valieva would take this drug without the supervision of a doctor.

According to Valieva, gave her the drug, and she doesn't even claim that he is a doctor. Whom should we believe? An anonymous poster on the Internet or Valieva herself?

 

[On My Own]

Ultimately the doctor is the one with the professional responsibility of dispensing the drug. Technically Eteri can argue that she doesn't know anything because of doctor patient confidentiality. None of the other girls tested positive for drugs and they had to give blood samples at the Games. Eteri can talk all she wants about finding a substitute for Meldonium, but she isn't medically qualified to analyze any drug and its effect on an athlete's recovery/performance. When it comes to taking away her livelihood or sanctioning her, it's going to come down to how much evidence there is that ties her with the drug in Valieva's system, and not fans' opinion on her. If it were any other coach or country, people would not assume that one athlete testing positive is indicative of guilt of an entire team. The British relay team was stripped of its medal and no one is claiming that team Britain as a whole promotes doping. All there is is speculation that the Russians must dope since they do quads and triple axels, yet there is a Japanese skater on the junior circuit who landed a quad toe and triple axel. She must be taking something as well with that logic applied. It can't possibly be because these kids have access to harnesses, specialized training and mostly likely unlimited ice from a very young age. Plus they believe they can do these elements because their coaching team believes they can do them.

Imagine thinking this much about how an abuser can escape all charges

 

[soogar]

According to Valieva, gave her the drug, and she doesn't even claim that he is a doctor. Whom should we believe? An anonymous poster on the Internet or Valieva herself?

My understanding was that they asked her where she could have gotten that drug, and she said that it could have been from her grandfather. At least that's how I read it, that she had to provide a probably source but they didn't have time to actually investigate where she could have gotten that drug. Even if they accept Grandpa water as a real defense and the actual source, that still does not tie the drug to Eteri unless Valieva or anyone else says that Eteri advised her to say that.

 

[soogar]

Imagine thinking this much about how an abuser can escape all charges

Well real abusers escape with less.

 

[AJ Skatefan]

As much as people hate Eteri, she is not a doctor and can't prescribe or give this heart drug to Valieva. I don't believe that Valieva would take this drug without the supervision of a doctor.

Like the team anesthesiologist who sits with the coach and skater in the kiss and cry?

 

[soogar]

Like the team anesthesiologist who sits with the coach and skater in the kiss and cry?

There is more a connection with the team doctor than Eteri.

Eteri is not walking around like she is guilty. Maybe Rusada did find a connection and Eteri will just conveniently use it to transition herself out of Russia and back to the states.

 

[Wyliefan]

Well real abusers escape with less.

Real abusers? We're not exactly talking about an imaginary abuser here.

 

[Karen-W]

Well real abusers escape with less.

Real abusers? We're not exactly talking about an imaginary abuser here.

Is this the Russian version of "I didn't slap her around, just told her everything she did wrong" to excuse abuse?

 

[MacMadame]

If it were any other coach or country, people would not assume that one athlete testing positive is indicative of guilt of an entire team.

People do that all the time. You should read some of @allezfred's posts about US Track and Field stars in the Other Sports forum.

You do realize that every excuse you've made was made about athletes at the Nike Oregon Project, Lance Armstrong, and numerous other athletes in other sports who were eventually caught, right? I mean Lance (supposedly) never tested positive for any PEDs either.

 

[allezfred]

People do that all the time. You should read some of @allezfred's posts about US Track and Field stars in the Other Sports forum.

 

[allezfred]

None of the other girls tested positive for drugs

I remember Marion Jones and Lance Armstrong using the “I have never failed a drug test” line way back when. I mean, technically, it’s not a lie.

But listen - you go on living your fantasy that Valieva’s positive test was an aberration and Tutberidze & Co did not drug the 20 girls who came before her on exactly the same trajectory if that is what makes you happy.

 

[Lilia A]

Sort of update on the case

https://twitter.com/fs_gossips/status/1583032990342742016

I haven't found an article yet. I looked on the usual places, but the most recent articles on Valieva are about how magical her program is and what a good job Gleikhengauz did. ETA: Found one not one of the usual sources, but it's something.
Yes, the short program is scheduled on that day and she's scheduled to compete. Here's what I think, I think they all already know the results of the so called investigations and everything will go on as scheduled. Why go through the trouble of restoring the quad toe if they knew she couldn't compete? She'll compete and they'll try hard to overshadow whatever is happening at Skate America. I remember someone, a Rusada lawyer maybe(?) saying that they may never reveal the results due to the whole protected person bs debacle (it's already been stated that the identity of the athlete is to be protected if at all possible, but it's not a rule that they can't be named if results will be majorly affected), but we'll find out either way once the case goes to the CAS. I'm assuming Wada/ISU/etc will appeal the decision if it doesn't affect the Olympic team results, and I don't expect Rusada's decision to affect the Olympics in any way.