Russian determine skater Kamila Valieva was cleared Monday to compete within the girls's particular person occasion on the Beijing Winter Olympics, however as an investigation into doping allegations towards the 15-year-old continues, many are questioning if she might ultimately be stripped of any medals gained throughout the 2022 video games.
Valieva has already gained a gold medal on the Winter Olympics, as she was a part of the Russian Olympic Committee's (ROC) workforce that bested america within the group occasion. The delay of the medal ceremony for the groups, which was initially described as a "authorized matter" by the Worldwide Olympic Committee (IOC), ultimately led to the revelation that the teenager examined constructive for a banned substance earlier than the video games started.
Although circumstances of doping pop up throughout the Olympics, Valieva's age qualifies her as a "protected individual" within the rulebook. That designation means the principles relating to what can and can't be carried out about doping are completely different in comparison with somebody age 16 and up.
In line with Monday's announcement, the IOC won't maintain a medal ceremony for the ladies's particular person occasion if Valieva is among the many high three finishers. Likewise, the workforce medal ceremony has been indefinitely postponed till the completion of the investigation into the allegation the skater used trimetazidine, a banned coronary heart remedy that may enhance blood circulate and effectivity. The pattern was taken on December 25, 2021, however the outcomes did not come again till the Olympics had been already underway.
In line with two specialists on sports activities and legislation, the choice to forgo the standard medal ceremony will be the Worldwide Olympic Committee's try to go away the door open for probably stripping these medals sooner or later.
Dionne Koller, a legislation professor on the College of Baltimore and director of the varsity's Heart for Sport and the Regulation, advised Newsweek that she thinks there's "no query" that the IOC is attempting to go away the door open to redistribute any medals gained by Valieva.
She additionally thinks that bypassing the medal ceremony permits the group to keep away from the "very uncomfortable optics" of awarding a medal to somebody who the world is aware of has examined constructive for a banned substance.
"To have a medal ceremony underneath these circumstances could be so damaging to the picture that the IOC is making an attempt to painting right here on the clear Olympic Video games," Koller stated. "So I believe it is each picture and in addition attempting to go away room for medal reallocations, which should you're studying the principles in any respect, I believe ought to actually be coming."
Dr. Paul Haagen, a legislation professor at Duke College and co-director of the varsity's Heart for Sports activities Regulation and Coverage, additionally advised Newsweek that he "completely" believes that the IOC is attempting to go away room to strip her medals in forgoing the medal ceremony.
"What they're making an attempt to do, I consider, is sign that they regard this as critical. They may strip her after the very fact even when they awarded the medal, however they're indicating a comparatively excessive degree of concern in regards to the state of affairs," Haagen stated.
Dr. Sarah Teetzel of the College of Manitoba echoed Koller's and Haagen's beliefs that the IOC was attempting to ship a sign towards doping in deciding to not maintain the medal ceremonies, however didn't speculate on whether or not the transfer might be a precursor to Valieva being stripped of any medals.
"The Worldwide Olympic Committee, I assume, isn't holding the medal ceremonies as a result of they can not be seen to be doing nothing about doping. They can not flip a blind eye," Teetzel advised Newsweek.
She additionally famous that Valieva's younger age makes it a "actually delicate state of affairs." Teetzel stated that if Valieva was older and the safety did not apply, "I do not suppose that we might have had the very same state of affairs play out."
Extra plans embody permitting one further competitor to advance from the ladies's quick program competitors on Tuesday to Thursday's free skate, which is one more sign the IOC is making ready for the likelihood Valieva's outcomes -- even when she is not among the many high finishers -- could ultimately be invalidated as a result of her constructive check.
The transfer to permit Valieva to compete was broadly criticized Monday, together with by the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), in addition to present and former determine skaters.
The USOPC stated in an announcement Monday that it was "upset by the message this resolution sends."
"It's the collective duty of your complete Olympic neighborhood to guard the integrity of sports activities and to carry our athletes, coaches and all concerned to the best of requirements," USOPC Chief Government Sarah Hirshland stated.
Former Olympians Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir, who at present present commentary for NBC's determine skating protection, additionally disagreed with the choice to let Valieva compete.
"On the finish of the day, there was a constructive check and there's no query in my thoughts that she shouldn't be allowed to compete," Lipinski tweeted. "No matter age or timing of the check/outcomes. I consider it will go away a everlasting scar on our sport."
Weir known as it a "slap within the face to the Olympic Video games, to our sport, and to each athlete that is ever competed on the Olympics clear" throughout an interview which aired throughout NBC's primetime protection of the video games on Sunday after the Tremendous Bowl.
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