Skater Did Test Positive for Banned Drug, Making Mockery of IOC Decision to Let Russians Compete
The young Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva did indeed test positive for a banned heart drug, it was confirmed Friday.
But—in news that prompted a wave of sympathy for the 15-year-old skating sensation—it emerged that her doping sample sat in a Swedish laboratory for six weeks and was only finally analyzed the day after she led Russia to victory in the team event at the Beijing Winter Olympics.
That revelation makes a mockery of IOC claims to be tackling doping properly, and calls into question the decision to let Russian athletes compete at the Olympics despite proven state-sponsored doping. And it led to a warning from the head of the U.S. anti-doping agency that U.S. prosecutors might directly target Russian individuals involved in the skater’s case if they are not held to account.