14 February /// Based on the IOC Executive Board Decision, the IOC requests the International Skating Union (ISU) for reasons of fairness to allow a 25th competitor to participate in the Women Single Skating Free Skating of the competition on February 17, in case Ms. Valieva is ranked in the first 24 of the Short Pogram on February 15. Consequently, in line with the 2021 ISU Special Regulations Single & Pair Skating/Ice Dance, Rule 400, paragraph A.1., the following will apply for the Women Free Skating, scheduled to be held on February 17, 2022 at 18.00 hours Beijing time.
“Based on the result of the Short Program and subject to Ms. Valieva ranking in the first 24 of the Short Program, the Competitors placed 1-25 (instead of 24) in Women Single Skating shall qualify for the Free Skating. By analogy with Rule 520, paragraph 4, the warm-up groups for the Women Free Skating will be 7 Skaters for the first group and 6 Skaters for groups 2, 3 and 4.”
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14 February /// Following the hearing of the Ad hoc Division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in the arbitration procedures relating to Figure Skater Kamila Valieva (ROC), the International Skating Union (ISU) duly noted and will respect the ruling namely that the provisional suspension of Ms. Valieva remains lifted.
The ISU awaits to receive the award with grounds and needs time to assess before making any further comments.
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To state the facts chronologically, a sample from the athlete was collected under the testing authority and results management authority of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) on 25 December 2021 during the 2022 Russian Figure Skating Championships in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The WADA-accredited laboratory of Stockholm, Sweden, reported that the sample had returned an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) for the non-specified prohibited substance trimetazidine (classified as S4. Hormone and Metabolic Modulators according to the Prohibited List of the World Anti-Doping Code) on 8 February 2022. Following this, the athlete was provisionally suspended by RUSADA with immediate effect.
Pursuant to Article 15 of the IOC Anti-Doping Rules applicable to the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, the decision of RUSADA imposing a provisional suspension automatically prohibited the athlete from participation in all sports during the provisional suspension, including the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022.
As the sample was collected by RUSADA ahead of the Winter Games, this case is not under the jurisdiction of the IOC and thus not directly managed by the ITA. In line with the IOC Anti-Doping Rules, the ITA immediately informed the athlete that the provisional suspension imposed on her by RUSADA is binding upon the IOC and the athlete is prevented from competing, training, coaching, or participating in any activity, during the Olympic Winter Games.
Due to the fact that this is not a case under the authority of the IOC and taking into account her abovementioned status as Protected Person, the ITA abstained from publicly disclosing the case following the notification in order to protect the athlete’s identity as a minor and to ensure that all necessary measures for her physical and mental safeguarding could be implemented. All the while all due legal processes were initiated.
The athlete challenged the imposition of the provisional suspension before the RUSADA Disciplinary Anti-Doping Committee on 9 February 2022 and a hearing took place on the same day. On the evening of 9 February 2022, the RUSADA Disciplinary Anti-Doping Committee decided to lift the athlete’s provisional suspension, thus allowing her to continue her participation in the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022. The reasoned decision, including the grounds for which the provisional suspension was lifted, will be issued shortly to all concerned parties.
Under the World Anti-Doping Code, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), the International Skating Union (ISU), RUSADA and the IOC have a right to appeal the decision to lift the provisional suspension before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The IOC will exercise its right to appeal and not to wait for the reasoned decision by RUSADA, because a decision is needed before the next competition the athlete is due to take part in (Women Single Skating, 15 February 2022).
Following the delegation of the IOC’s anti-doping program in relation to the Olympic Games to the ITA, the ITA will lead the appeal before CAS on behalf of the IOC.
The proceedings on the merits of the apparent anti-doping rule violation, including the athlete’s right to request the analysis of the B-sample, will be pursued by RUSADA in due course.
The decision on the results of the ROC team in the Team Figure Skating event can be taken by the ISU only after a final decision on the full merits of the case has been taken. The procedure, which is initiated currently, can only address the provisional suspension.
Given that the legal process for this case is not finally concluded, the ITA will not provide any additional comments. Any further information on the case will be issued in form of a public statement.
The International Skating Union (ISU) duly noted the press release issued by the International Testing Agency (ITA) and at this time it has nothing to add other than the below.
The ISU will exercise its right to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) the decision of the RUSADA Disciplinary Anti Doping Committee of February 9 to lift the provisional suspension and to ask CAS to reinstate the provisional suspension.
As this is an ongoing legal case, the ISU will not comment further.
