ballettmaus
Well-Known Member
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There's logic behind it and if it's true that Valieva knew and still competed, I absolutely would have factored that in if it had been up to me and would have decided like you state above. My problem is that this is CAS and I don't have that much confidence in bodies like that as you are suggesting you have. Would they really follow that thought process and decided to hold her accountable for competing despite having the knowledge of a positive result? If we're talking about a smaller nation then I'd think it's likely. But for Russia?2) The length of the ban. Four years seems harsh but Valieva knew she had a positive result and she STILL went out there on Feb 7th and competed. If you are an athlete acting with integrity and respect for CLEAN sport you do the right thing and you do NOT get on that ice, no matter what your entourage is telling you. She absolutely must be held accountable for THAT choice and that is why, I suspect, she got a 4 year ban.
The question is, how would the notification process have worked exactly? Would they have contacted Valieva directly or would they have contacted her in a way that would have made it possible for another party to shield her from the results? Eg, email, text message or paperwork that didn't require her signature or acknowledgment could have been intercepted by someone else. The only way one can be sure that Valieva did know is if it happened via a call or in person. I'm not trying to defend her, I'm simply saying that bodies like CAS usually use these arguments to weasel out of handing out harsh(er) punishments and I'm not ready to judge Valieva for competing despite being aware of the positive result until I know for sure that she was aware. I'm skeptical about the whole took it by accident or took it without knowing she did. People are willing to do all sorts of things for reasons of ambition and if she was told some version of she had to take whatever she was given in order to be able to compete/skate then, unfortunately, I think it's possible she - like (too) many others - would have. Still, that's a different matter.