LAUSANNE, Switzerland (Reuters) – The International Olympic Committee has told anti-doping bodies it wants a quick resolution of a drugs scandal involving teenage Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva at the Beijing 2022 Olympics so that a delayed medals ceremony can proceed.
Valieva failed a doping test at the Russian national championships last December but the result was only revealed on Feb. 8, a day after she had already helped the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) win the team event at the Beijing Games.
The case cast a shadow on the participation of Russians at the Games as they already faced increased scrutiny over separate doping sanctions that saw them compete without their national flag and national anthem.
It also delayed indefinitely the medals ceremony for the team event pending the ongoing case, with the United States having claimed silver, and Japan taking bronze.
Canada finished fourth and should the Russian athletes be disqualified then they stand to be upgraded to bronze.
“We are in contact on this. The World Anti-Doping Agency and the International Testing Agency are following up on this,” IOC President Thomas Bach told a news conference on Friday.
“This is not something we should be guessing but work in a way so that it (medals ceremony) happens as soon as possible.”
The case is currently in the hands of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) as the positive test came during a domestic competition.
The U.S Olympic and Paralympic Committee have questioned the integrity of the ongoing case with RUSADA after Valieva was praised by Russian President Vladimir Putin at a ceremony in April.
“This is in the hands of anti-doping authorities. We have made it clear to them we are hoping for a fast and quick resolution of the issue,” Bach said. “Once it is resolved we will have this ceremony.”
(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; editing by Martyn Herman)
