Russian doping scandal: How we got here, where things stand and what could be next
Figure skater Kamila Valieva, 15, continues to compete despite positive test
Russian Olympic Committee figure skater Kamila Valieva, 15, is competing in the women's event at the Beijing Olympics despite the recent revelation that a December doping test came back positive.
That's a loaded sentence.
It's also become the dominant story of the 2022 Games as a teenage star in a marquee sport has found herself under intense international scrutiny — after she already helped the Russians take gold in the team event, no less.
On Thursday, Valieva will skate for more gold in the women's event. She leads following the short program.
WATCH | Despite doping drama, Kamila Valieva leads short program:
If she lands on the podium — and it would be a major surprise if she didn't — the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has said it will not hold a medal ceremony as it further investigates the failed test. There's also been no medal ceremony for the team event.
"It's sort of messy but I think in the end, it's probably the safest and the fairest way of dealing with this," Canadian IOC official Dick Pound told CBC Sports on The Extra Hour show. "It hasn't been determined whether or not it's a full-blown positive, until that happens. It would be wrong to penalize her and probably wrong to keep her from competing because she hasn't actually got a positive test."
The full investigation could take months. Using that first sentence as our guide, here's a look at how we got here, where things currently stand and what the future may hold.
Russian Olympic Committee
Notice how it's not just Russia? That's because the country's name, flag and anthem were banned from the Olympics by the International Olympic Committee in the wake of a state-sponsored doping scheme ahead of their home Games in 2014.
Russian athletes not connected to doping were allowed to compete under the Olympic Athletes from Russia banner in 2018 and for the ROC at the past two Games.
Despite that, there have still been positive tests from Russian Olympians since sanctions were instituted. In Pyeongchang, a mixed-doubles curler who won bronze and a bobsledder — who tested positive for the same drug, trimetazidine, as Valieva — were both disqualified for doping.
Figure skater Kamila Valieva, 15
Her age is also a key factor in her doping case. Because she's a minor, she's treated as a "protected person" and is subject to different, more favourable rules than adults who test positive.
Competing in women's event in Beijing
It is weird to see an athlete caught doping still allowed to compete.
But Valieva's age, in this case, may have saved her as the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruling may have allowed more leeway for a mixup — Valieva's lawyers are now blaming the drug showing up in her body on "contamination" from her grandfather's medication.
The CAS said its decision was made because Valieva's Beijing sample was clean while there were questions about what took so long for the December test result to be returned.
A slight stumble at the beginning of her short program didn't prevent Valieva from taking the lead. If she lands on the podium, again there will not be a medal ceremony.
WATCH | Valieva to compete, but Olympic medal ceremony delayed:
Recent revelation from December doping test
The positive result was returned around a day after Valieva clinched team gold for the ROC. Yet the test itself was taken on Christmas Day during her national championships.
The test, administered by the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA), was sent to a lab in Sweden, since Russia's labs aren't approved by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
Valieva then appealed the ban in front of RUSADA and won, temporarily allowing her to practise and compete.
The IOC, WADA and International Skating Union then appealed that decision to the CAS while making news of the positive test public. When the CAS denied that appeal, the IOC moved to withhold all medals in Valieva's events.
The IOC maintained the authority to disqualify the Russian skater.
Came back positive
Trimetazidine is a metabolic agent that helps prevent angina attacks and treats the symptoms of vertigo, according to the European Union's medicines agency.
According to the Mayo Clinic, women over 55 are at greater risk of experiencing angina, a heart issue, than young adults.
Besides the Russian bobsledder, Chinese swimmer Sun Yang was also caught taking trimetazidine as a performance-enhancing drug. He is currently serving a four-year ban as punishment.
Due to Valieva's age, there doesn't appear to be much precedent for her possible punishment if a full investigation reveals knowing use. It's possible she was given the drugs by adults without knowing, in which case those other could face sanctions.
If her substance use was intentional, she could still receive less than the maximum two-year ban. If Valieva's medals are stripped by the IOC, Canada would climb the team-event podium with bronze. But that, again, may not be for months.
