Doping Scandal of Kamila Valieva Rocks Beijing Olympics
After two long years, the “gray” heroine was confronted with a “no” answer.
On January 29, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) announced a four-year suspension and disqualification from competitions since December 2021 for Kamila Valieva (17, Russia), the figure skating female athlete whose doping was revealed at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
What was the disaster brought about by the genius girl, who was hailed as the greatest female figure skater in history?
On February 7, 2022, Valieva contributed to the team victory, the first in two Olympics since the 2014 Sochi Games, with her flawless performance of Bolero. She successfully executed two types of quadruple jumps, the toe loop and the Salchow, marking the first time in Olympic history for a female skater. Her spins, which showcased exceptional flexibility, and meticulously crafted steps down to the fingertips left no room for criticism. In her first year competing at the senior level, she demonstrated overwhelming strength by consistently achieving the highest scores in the world, earning her the nickname “Despair” because everyone gives up on winning.
“I’ve been saying since I was three years old that I want to become an Olympic champion, and now I’ve achieved it.”
Standing on the podium with her friends with a big smile on her face, she expressed her overflowing emotions. It was the first step in a brilliant career. Everyone believed so, but she never had a chance to speak to the media.
On the following day, the 8th, reporters heading to cover the medal presentation ceremony were told that it had not been postponed, but rather canceled. They were informed that the ceremony had been canceled, not postponed. A shocking report had come in from the specimen analysis laboratory in Stockholm.
