Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva has been welcomed back onto the ice in Russia after serving a four-year doping ban. The 19-year-old, who was stripped of her Olympic medal and banned from competing due to a positive test for heart medication trimetazidine at the Russian Figure Skating Championships six weeks earlier, returned to competition on Sunday with a spirited performance that saw her come fourth in the individual category.
Valieva is also set to compete in the duet event alongside Mark Kondratiuk. Speaking to state TV after her return, she expressed her love for the sport and happiness at being back competing, but it's clear that this comeback won't be in time for her to take part in the Winter Olympics in Italy next week.
Valieva had initially risen to prominence as a teenager, helping Russia win a team gold medal at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. However, just days later, she was banned from competing due to a positive test for performance-enhancing medication. The Russian government and sports authorities have consistently defended her, stating that there was no fault or negligence on Valieva's part in the doping breach.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) upheld an appeal by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada), stripping Valieva of her medal and suspending her from competition. However, she claims that a strawberry dessert prepared by her grandfather using the same chopping board he used to crush his heart medication may have led to the positive test result.
In recent days, news emerged that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) would be awarding medals in various sports after Valieva's doping ban was lifted. The decision comes as two Russian figure skaters, Adeliia Petrosian and Viktoriia Safonova, are set to compete in the Winter Olympics as Individual Neutral Athletes (AINs).
Valieva must wait until 2030 to make an Olympic comeback, after missing out on next month's Games in Milano-Cortina. Two other Russian figure skaters have secured spots at the Games but will be competing under this category due to their country being banned from many sports as a result of its conflict with Ukraine.
As Valieva looks to rebuild her reputation and make an Olympic comeback, one thing is clear: her journey back onto the ice has been shaped by controversy and heartache. With a storied career that was left on hold for nearly two years, only time will tell if she can regain her footing in the competitive world of figure skating.
Valieva is also set to compete in the duet event alongside Mark Kondratiuk. Speaking to state TV after her return, she expressed her love for the sport and happiness at being back competing, but it's clear that this comeback won't be in time for her to take part in the Winter Olympics in Italy next week.
Valieva had initially risen to prominence as a teenager, helping Russia win a team gold medal at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. However, just days later, she was banned from competing due to a positive test for performance-enhancing medication. The Russian government and sports authorities have consistently defended her, stating that there was no fault or negligence on Valieva's part in the doping breach.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) upheld an appeal by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada), stripping Valieva of her medal and suspending her from competition. However, she claims that a strawberry dessert prepared by her grandfather using the same chopping board he used to crush his heart medication may have led to the positive test result.
In recent days, news emerged that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) would be awarding medals in various sports after Valieva's doping ban was lifted. The decision comes as two Russian figure skaters, Adeliia Petrosian and Viktoriia Safonova, are set to compete in the Winter Olympics as Individual Neutral Athletes (AINs).
Valieva must wait until 2030 to make an Olympic comeback, after missing out on next month's Games in Milano-Cortina. Two other Russian figure skaters have secured spots at the Games but will be competing under this category due to their country being banned from many sports as a result of its conflict with Ukraine.
As Valieva looks to rebuild her reputation and make an Olympic comeback, one thing is clear: her journey back onto the ice has been shaped by controversy and heartache. With a storied career that was left on hold for nearly two years, only time will tell if she can regain her footing in the competitive world of figure skating.
️ idk how she'll bounce back frm this tho she was on top of her game @ 19 but now she's gotta prove herself all over again 
. I mean, Kamila Valieva's doping ban is a perfect example of how Russia's government and sports authorities consistently defend their athletes, no matter what the situation is 
. It's like they're trying to rewrite the rules or create loopholes to avoid accountability.
. And now, with her comeback delayed until 2030, it raises questions about how much time and resources will be invested in rehabilitating her reputation versus the real consequences of doping.
. Meanwhile, Adeliia Petrosian and Viktoriia Safonova competing as Individual Neutral Athletes is just another example of how Russia's sporting woes are affecting athletes around the world 
.
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... I mean, what if she's telling the truth about that strawberry dessert? 
She was always pretty talented, but she's been out for two years so maybe that gap is too big to bridge?
. Maybe this comeback will actually bring some good luck and redemption to her? 
We'll just have to wait and see how it all plays out 
but honestly I feel bad for her, she seems like such a down-to-earth person and her excuse about the strawberry dessert is just too funny 
it's not like she did it on purpose or anything.
. But only if she's willing to be super transparent about her past mistakes and what led up to them 
... which might be a tough pill to swallow 
.
. Maybe this is an opportunity for her to come back stronger and wiser 
. But, like, what about the doping ban? And the Olympic medal? I feel for her, though - it's been a tough road 
.
. We don't have all the facts yet, and maybe there's more to this story than meets the eye 
.
but u know what? her comeback performance on sunday looked pretty awesome 
it's not easy 2 deal w/ all that scrutiny n attention ...anyway, gotta wish her luck for her duet event w/ mark kondratiuk 
its crazy to think about how much drama has surrounded her entire career lol like remember that time she had the strawberry dessert incident 
I mean who finds heart medication in their strawberry dessert 
anyway moving on to the good stuff - Kamila is back competing and it was actually pretty impressive 
but at what cost? I think it's interesting that she's blaming her grandpa's chopping board 
Maybe Valieva's journey is an opportunity for us to reflect on what it means to be honest with ourselves and others about our mistakes 
.
. I DO THINK THE STRAWBERRY STORY IS CRAZY THOUGH! WHO KNOWS WHAT REALLY HAPPENED!!! 
and I realized how much I miss trying different dishes when I travel 
. You know what's funny? When you're eating, your brain is always thinking about where to go next or what to try next 
. I mean, who knew strawberry dessert could be so problematic? 
But seriously, figure skating is such an intense sport – you have to be in top physical condition and mentally focused at all times 
. I mean, you've gotta feel bad for the girl, she was stripped of an Olympic medal and all that. But at the same time, it's like, if you take some heart medication by accident, should you really get in trouble? It just seems a bit harsh.
...