BEIJING: The world's top anti-doping authority will investigate the entourage of 15-year-old Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva who tested positive for a banned drug, plunging her into a doping scandal at the Beijing Winter Olympics.
Valieva, whose Olympic future will be decided after a Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) hearing at 8:30 p.m. Beijing time (1230 GMT), effortlessly completed a clean run through of her short programme in practice on Sunday.
Watching her from the sidelines were her three coaches, Eteri Tutberidze, Sergei Dudakov and Daniil Gleikhengauz, as well as the team doctor Filipp Shvetsky and a physiotherapist.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said in a statement to Reuters on Sunday that it would ask its independent Intelligence and Investigations Department to investigate the coaches, doctors and other adults surrounding the athlete.
Earlier, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said it had formally asked WADA to launch an investigation.
WADA also said that the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) has indicated it had already started investigating the entourage because Valieva is a minor.
Valieva tested positive for a banned heart drug at her national championships last December, but it took more than six weeks for her to be notified, allowing her to compete in Beijing.
Her future at the Games, and a gold for the Russian Olympic Committee in the team event that she dominated on Monday, now hang in the balance amid a global outcry over Moscow's doping history.
Tutberidze, the most sought-after figure skating coach in Russia, has not responded to Reuters emails.
On Saturday, she said she was certain Valieva was "clean and innocent" in an interview with Russian state television.
At 15, Valieva is one of the youngest athletes to have a positive test revealed at the Olympics, prompting outrage and questions about the role of the adults around her and the continuing scourge of Russian doping in international sport.
The IOC set up the entourage commission in 2010 as positive drug cases of athletes mounted in the 2000s, especially with the re-testing of samples of past Olympics.
Russia's state-backed doping scandal after the 2014 Sochi Olympics made more apparent that athletes often did not act alone but were supported by a network, including medics, coaches, agents and family and friends.
The commission can sanction individuals for a number of violations that include doping, unsportsmanlike conduct and harassment. Sanctions can range from reprimands to permanent exclusion from the Olympics.
On Sunday, however, it will be Valieva's future at the Games that is debated. A panel of three judges for CAS will hear arguments from the IOC, WADA and International Skating Union to reinstate a ban lifted by the Russian Anti-Doping Authority on Feb. 9.
At stake is Valieva's entry in the women's single event on Tuesday. CAS has said they will notify all parties on Monday.
The fate of the gold medal that has not been awarded for the Feb. 7 women's team event is likely to take longer to clear up. The United States and Japan are also waiting in the wings for their medals.
"The athletes are a bit disappointed that they have to wait for the medal ceremony to happen – they had really worked so hard for that medal," said Japan's chef de mission, Hidehito Ito.
Reuters
Sun Feb 13 2022
Kamila Valieva of the Russian Olympic Committee during training with the Russian Olympic Committee coach Eteri Tutberidze. - REUTERS/Aleksandra Szmigiel
PADU: Lebih 9 juta telah daftar
Pendaftaran Pangkalan Data Utama (PADU) meningkat kepada 9.24 juta setakat Khamis.
PM adakan lawatan singkat ke Sarawak pada Sabtu
Dalam lawatan singkat ke Sarawak pada Sabtu, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim antara lain bakal melakukan walkabout di Bazar Ramadan Desa Ilmu disusuli Majlis Iftar Berbuka Puasa Madani di Masjid Al-Muttaqin
UMNO Sabah akan lebih teliti pilih calon - Bung Moktar
Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin tidak mahu calon yang akan diketengahkan UMNO dalam PN Sabah nanti ditolak rakyat sekaligus mendatangkan kerugian buat parti itu.
Tempoh reman 13 remaja suspek kes bunuh pelajar kolej disambung
Hakim Mahkamah Nur Asyraf Zolhani membenarkan tempoh reman disambung tujuh hari bermula Jumaat
Satu lagi kawasan kebakaran hutan dikesan di Miri
Pesawat Bombardier CL-415 Maritim Malaysia digerakkan bagi membantu memadam kebakaran yang dikesan berhampiran Sekolah Kebangsaan Kuala Baram
Dua lelaki mengaku tidak bersalah lakukan rompakan berkumpulan
Dua lelaki yang dihadapkan ke Mahkamah Sesyen di sini hari ini mengaku tidak bersalah atas pertuduhan melakukan rompakan secara berkumpulan, minggu lepas.
Kesabaran rakyat ada batasnya - Bung Moktar
Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin menegaskan isu air di Sabah perlu segera diselsesaikan jika tidak ia akan memberi kesan besar kepada rakyat.
AWANI Borneo [29/03/2024] - Kes bunuh pelajar kolej vokasional | Operasi bom air | Ini satu musibah - Bung Moktar
AWANI Borneo bersama Assim Hassan
Tempoh reman 13 remaja suspek kes bunuh pelajar kolej vokasional disambung
Satu lagi kawasan kebakaran hutan dikesan di Miri
Bung Moktar desak kerajaan Sabah segera selesaikan isu air
Tempoh reman 13 remaja suspek kes bunuh pelajar kolej vokasional disambung
Satu lagi kawasan kebakaran hutan dikesan di Miri
Bung Moktar desak kerajaan Sabah segera selesaikan isu air
Projek LRT tidak jejas status George Town sebagai Tapak Warisan UNESCO - Loke
Kerajaan jamin pembangunan projek LRT Laluan Mutiara Pulau Pinang tidak akan menjejaskan status George Town sebagai Tapak Warisan Dunia UNESCO.
Ahli perniagaan didakwa tipu, pecah amanah, salah guna harta syarikat RM13.4 juta
Seorang ahli perniagaan dihadapkan ke Mahkamah Sesyen di sini hari ini atas enam pertuduhan menipu, pecah amanah dan menyalahgunakan harta syarikat, melibatkan kerugian berjumlah RM13.4 juta.
Isu doping: Pogba sedih, terkejut dan kecewa digantung empat tahun
Paul Pogba berkata dia 'sedih, terkejut dan patah hati' selepas digantung daripada bola sepak kerana kesalahan doping.
Atlet olahraga jangan 'syok sendiri'
Annamalai menegaskan sebarang pengambilan produk tambahan perlu dapat kebenaran pegawai perubatan di ISN dan dengan pengetahuan jurulatih.
Jia Xin disahkan positif doping, digantung dua tahun
Atlet wanita itu bakal membuat rayuan susulan hukuman yang diterimanya itu.
Glowacki digantung empat tahun, gagal ujian doping
Bekas juara tinju WBO Cruiserweight, Krzysztof Glowacki boleh melupakan pertarungan di gelanggang selama empat tahun selepas gagal ujian doping.
‘Saya terkejut bila mula dapat tahu sangkut doping’ - Kumar
Kumar positif bahan terlarang jenis sibutramine ketika menggalas cabaran The Speedy Tigers pada Piala Asia di Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Keputusan atlet gagal doping diketahui dua bulan lagi - Adamas
Pengarah Adamas, Azura Abidin berkata, sesi pendengaran membabitkan kes berkenaan telah diadakan pada Isnin lepas.
'Kopi pelangsing' punca atlet gagal doping
Katanya, satu kerugian jika atlet gagal ujian doping ditambah pula makan tambahan yang diambil tidak beri sebarang kesan tambahan.
Atlet olahraga digantung 'sangkut' doping - Adamas
Arena sukan negara dicemari dengan satu lagi insiden doping, kali ini melibatkan seorang atlet olahraga semasa Kejohanan Trek dan Balapan Kesatuan Olahraga Malaysia (KOM) 2023 di Stadium Mini MSN.
Jurulatih yakin skuad Badang ke Sukan SEA, kelayakan Olimpik bebas doping
Jurulatih angkat berat kebangsaan Yon Haryono berkata skuad yang akan membawa cabaran negara menjalani ujian doping setiap bulan.
Sukan SEA Kemboja: Isytihar masalah kesihatan atlet, elak isu doping
Pengurusan bimbang atlet dengan penyakit asma dikhuatiri gagal ujian doping akibat pengambilan ubatan tertentu.