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Kamila Valieva – The World’s Ice Angel
Photo: Bildquelle DDP TASS
When we were children in Canada we enjoyed making what we called “snow angels”, the impressions made by lying on one’s back in fresh snow and swishing the arms up and down, leaving a pretty caricature of an angel’s wings. Today we have ‘ice angels’, the exceptionally talented young figure skaters exemplified and even personified by the most angelic of all – Russia’s Kamila Valieva.
Skating in the Olympics is something Kamila Valieva has dreamt of all her life. “When I was little, I kept saying all the time: ‘All I want is to be the Olympic champion, I want to be the Olympic champion.’ I was probably four years old then,” Kamila said. (1) And she was truly born for this, gifted with astonishing talent.
In an article in BILD, the former German Olympic figure-skating champion Katerina Witt, (2) said, “Kamila Valieva this young girl and child prodigy, who is enchanting the whole world with her sportiness and grace . . . Kamila is still for me, as a radiant comet shot into the orbit of the international skating world and I wish she has come to stay. With her quadruple jumps, she already shows maximum sporting difficulties that leave you dizzy.”
The German publication Sportschau wrote, (3) “Valieva is musicality, emotionality, fantastic pirouettes, great edges, quadruple jumps, technique . . .” The news channel France 24 wrote (4) “Kamila Valieva is a young figure-skating prodigy.” Another article called her “A prima ballerina on blades, . . . with fast-whirring quadruple jumps and artistry so elegant that she radiated maturity.”
In an article in the German Welt.de, (5) ARD expert Daniel Weiss said “Kamila Valieva enchants an entire scene. The 15-year-old Russian is considered a talent of the century in figure skating. At the age of 15, she already has an amazing maturity . . . At the past Olympic Games, we saw interchangeable female athletes that no one mentions anymore. Kamila is different.”
In an interview with the Russian’s TV Channel One, (6) American journalist Jackie Wong. “She’s one of the most talented skaters to pop up in the last 5 to 10 years, she’s doing amazing things, she’s writing the history of figure skating.” The UK Guardian wrote that Kamila [has] a talent that many think makes her the best female skater in history. (7) Again, “The 15-year-old Valieva . . . is the latest in a string of Russian teenage figure skating prodigies who have transformed the sport in recent years with an arsenal of spectacularly athletic jumps that put them leaps and bounds above the rest of the world. (8)
The Spanish news channel wrote, (9) For the first time in an Olympic final, a woman managed to crown herself with a figure that gave the 10 directly and, therefore, the gold to her and her companions. Valieva dazzled by being the only woman to perform a quadruple jump. When Kamila Valieva landed after the last quadruple jump in the final of figure skating teams, the whole Russian team exploded with joy.” RT News wrote (10) that “She could light up the Games with another supernaturally gifted performance . . .”
The German publication ZDF, (11) wrote, ” The young figure skater Kamila Walijewa seems to be able to do everything on the ice. She is a ballerina, flexible, light and elegant that any Russian ballet school would be proud of. Their skating technique is flawless, their jumps are unique. With ease and incredibly fast turns, she landed the Toeloop and Salchow four times in her freestyle in the Olympic team competition . . . The world press was full of praise for the 15-year-old talent of the century – and Valiyeva is undoubtedly one of them.” In her Olympic debut, for her solo program, Kamila had a score of 90.18, 25 points more than the second place, and in her free skate session she scored 178.92, 30 points more than second place. (12)
Photo: Valery Sharifulin – TASS
The Failed Test
Kamila underwent a drug test about two months prior to the Olympics and tested positive for Trimetazidine, a substance used to treat angina pectoris and banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) since 2014 because it could promote blood circulation and purports to improve stamina, although many medical experts deny that the effects would useful in sporting competitions.
The test was administered on Dec. 25, during the Russian Figure Skating Championships in St. Petersburg, and sent to a Swedish WADA lab, with the results delivered on Feb. 8, a day after Valieva made her spectacular debut and won gold medals for her entire team. The New York Times claimed the Stockholm laboratory that conducted the study of Valieva’s sample also found evidence of two other heart medications, hypoxene and L-carnitine, which are not banned. (1)
“According to documents reviewed by The New York Times and confirmed by someone who took part in the hearing, the Stockholm laboratory that carried out the examination of Valieva’s sample also found evidence of two other substances that can treat the heart but are not on the banned list. Valieva even listed them, Hypoxene and L-carnitine, on a doping control form. The presence of trimetazidine in Valieva’s system may have been a mistake, Russian and Olympic officials have suggested.” “The document said that Valieva had declared three products on a doping control form that was submitted with the now-failed test. Those products, the document said, were L-carnitine, Hypoxene and Supradyn, an immunity boosting supplement.” “An athlete who tests positive for a banned substance can request a further test of their “B” sample, which was collected at the same time as the original.” (See 1 above)
RUSADA, the Russian sporting anti-drug authority, immediately gave Kamila a provisional suspension. Kamila appealed the decision the next day and RUSADA lifted the ban to permit her to participate in the Olympics.
Then the Questions and Suspicions Arose
The legitimacy of the test for the Olympics
Valieva submitted to the test in question for the Russian Figure Skating Championships, an entirely domestic affair. It is not clear why a domestic test for a domestic sporting event should be pounced upon by WADA (and USADA) for an unrelated international Olympic event. Valieva did take many further tests for the Olympics, with results that were 100% clean. Some claim that an athlete can be banned for any violation discovered today, even though it might have occurred many years in the past, and even in a foreign country. This would be a very strange rule if true, similar to the Shanghai police cancelling my Chinese driving license if they discover I had been drinking and driving in Rome two years prior.
Since Valieva had given her positive doping test before the Winter Games, the matter had initially not fallen within the jurisdiction of the ITA and the IOC. However, Russia’s national anti-doping agency RUSADA suspended Valieva on February 8 because the test result was received so late. I am guessing that the Russians wanted to be seen in foreign eyes as “squeaky-clean” and so levied the suspension. If they hadn’t done that, nothing at all may have happened, the test result seen as irrelevant to the Olympics – which it in fact was. But when RUSADA then lifted the suspension – during the Olympics, after Valieva had already won a gold medal, that gave the Americans an open door to interfere. (2) The Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) considers the entire WADA procedure to be unlawful. According to the ROC, Valieva’s test does not apply to the period of the Winter Games. As well, all further of her tests at the European Championships in January and in Beijing were negative.
WADA’s Stockholm Lab Test
As mentioned above, The New York Times was kind enough to give us some information not available to the public (and that shouldn’t have been available to them, either), namely the three compounds apparently found in Valieva’s test sample. Other Western media picked up on this and amplified it, USADA’s CEO Travis Tygart telling us that combining the two approved items plus the one surprise was “an indication that something more serious is going on” and that this “totally undermines the credibility” of Valieva’s defense, adding “You use all of that to increase performance.” (3) Assertions lacking any foundation.
One useful bit of information that no one seems to have addressed, is the total amount of this banned chemical that was apparently found in Valieva’s sample: 2.1 nanograms of the heart medicine trimetazidine. (4) That’s the real surprise: 2.1 nanograms: that is two-billionths of a gram, or about two atoms. I have no expertise in sports medicine, but I feel confident in stating that two billionths of a gram of anything is unlikely to increase your athletic performance as Tygart suggested. Moreover, numerous sporting and legal figures have dismissed the notion of trimetazidine having performance-enhancing effects, even in high volumes. I wasn’t aware that chemical tests are capable of such atomic-level sensitivity (and I’m not sure they are), but surely when testing for such atomic-scale amounts of anything it is very possible to have errors. European media reported that “the substance [the amount detected] was too small to have a performance-enhancing effect” (5) but the US and English media ignored that and trashed Valieva anyway.
This is an example of what I term Tygart’s psychopathology: He described 2.1 nanograms as “not a trace level”, and judged that this amount, in a test not yet verified, as “certainly consistent with an intentional use.” (6)
The timing of the release of the test results
This one has caused a tidal wave of speculation, objection, resentment, and conspiracy theories. These latter have an aroma of legitimacy in part because the story by WADA, its Swedish lab, and the Olympic authorities, continued to change and was in at least one aspect outrightly dishonest.
The normal legislated timing for the return of a test is 20 days maximum, although the test results are usually returned within 7 to 10 days, but in this case it was closer to two months. It is confirmed by RUSADA and the Swedish lab that the test was received and that the lab would give it priority, inexplicably promising a delivery date by January 30. RUSADA put the question of delivery timing to the Swedish lab:
“Information about the adverse result of the analysis of the athlete’s sample was received by RUSADA on February 7, 2022,” the Russian organization said. “According to the data sent by the laboratory [in Stockholm] to RUSADA, the reason for the delays in testing and reporting by the laboratory was another wave of Covid-19, an increase in incidence [of illness] among laboratory staff, and quarantine rules.” (7)
So far, so good, but then WADA inexplicably blamed Russian officials for delay in the test results: “According to information received by WADA, the sample in this case was not flagged by RUSADA as being a priority sample when it was received by the anti-doping laboratory in Stockholm, Sweden. This meant the laboratory did not know to fast-track the analysis of this sample.” That assertion directly contradicts the claims by WADA’s Stockholm facility which said the delay was caused by Covid-related issues, the lab admitting that RUSADA had asked for, and was assured of, priority. (8) And in any case, “fast-tracking” should be unnecessary when normal delivery time is 10 days.
In this context, there is also the question of the timing of the return of Valieva’s other test results, those necessary for the Olympics. Valieva took the first test for the Russian event on December 25, 2021, but all her other tests for the Olympics were taken much later and yet returned well in advance of the Olympics. Why was the WADA lab able to return those tests well before February, in spite of all their technicians being ill with COVID, but not the test from December? This is a serious matter, and it stinks.
Hence, the conspiracy theories. WADA and its testing lab were clearly not on the same page, WADA apparently being the dissembling party in this case, and clearly looking to blame the Russians for the failings – if failings they were – of its own lab. This is more complicated than might first appear, since there has been much speculation that the delay was deliberate rather than accidental and that WADA is desperately trying to cover its own tracks. This speculation is much fueled by the fact that Valieva’s test appears to have been the only one that was delayed. There have been no other reports of delays and, while I haven’t access to the entire group of Olympic squads, those national teams I have contacted told me unanimously that they experienced no delay and hadn’t heard of anyone who had. What does that mean for the lab’s claim about its inability to perform tests due to no staff? If we combine the story with the known facts, WADA’s lab was understaffed but still apparently examined every test but one – the most critical one, as it happened.
What to make of that? There are nearly 3,000 athletes participating in the Beijing Olympics and each takes more than one test. Yet, with the facts available, it appears that Valieva’s test was the only one of many thousands that was delayed, and for nearly two months, being released only after she had won the gold medal. I am not a conspiracy theorist, but this is truly suspicious as hell, especially since WADA lied and refuses to address the issue, and their Stockholm lab hides in the bushes saying nothing.
I am guessing that this is a critical matter requiring police investigation and answers. There has been open speculation that Valieva’s test would have returned negative if she had not won the gold medal, and the Americans – who finished in second place – had won. Perhaps not a nice sentiment, but if you dig deeply enough into all the details – and the political history of the Olympics – it isn’t difficult to see why such a suspicion would arise.
Lucien W. Valloni, a leading Swiss-based sports lawyer, has questioned the timing of Valieva’s test controversy and asks “Why now?”, questioning specifically the timing of the test release. He said, “I can only tell you that in case any team medal of the skating team is stripped from the team, then . . . it will be America who will benefit.” (9) When asked why is the doping scandal being fanned as it had been, he replied, “I can only tell you it’s . . . strange that the . . . sample was taken already on 25 December and only now, after a very good performance by this girl, the test was made public or reported to the RUSADA. I think the timing is really bad because it looks like they have waited up to the moment this athlete would have performed very well, and then after such a performance they sent the information . . . it does not feel good.”
“We do not know whether politics is behind all this. Everywhere . . . in these organisations, people are, of course, influenced by politics. A lot of politics is going on [in the Olympics and in figure-skating] and I do not know how far this political pressure goes. But it’s really strange that after a very good performance of [Valieva], the information was made public and given to RUSADA, that the test was positive. I think this is very bad timing – or very well timed for the other side. Let’s put it like that.”
There is more to this. In its ruling on Valieva’s suspension, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) specifically singled out WADA’s “serious issues of untimely notification” of the test results. And this did not go unnoticed by the media not belonging to the mainstream. The UK Daily Mail echoed the sentiments of many in writing, (10) “It follows her failed test for a banned heart drug at her national championships last December but which bizarrely was not reported by anti-doping authorities until the day after she inspired Russia to team gold.”
Carrying this further, the Speaker of the Upper Chamber of the Russian parliament, Valentina Matvienko, said that Western special forces could be behind the case of Kamila Valieva. (11) “Why did the story initially emerge as an infoglut, a campaign of some Western media, rather than an official statement? You have to admit, at the very least it is strange. In my opinion, the recent statements from across the ocean have shed some light, from which it is evident that the story is being tied to the already well-known ‘Rodchenkov Act.’ We do remember who was behind it then, and we do understand now that the manipulations of special forces – it is clear which ones – are beginning to be seen behind this”. Matvienko’s main point, with which I concur, is that if this news were to be made public it should have been by an official statement by proper authorities. Instead, it was all done through leaks into a media frenzy condemning Valieva and Russia.
Why was Kamila Outed?
Matvienko’s comments are deadly serious and have much justification. Kamila Valieva is a minor and as such she is a “protected person” under all sporting and Olympics law. It was illegal, against the regulations, and both unfair and unkind to say the least, for WADA to have leaked her name to the press. It was done surreptitiously, through ‘Inside the Games’ – a British outlet media – but there is no question WADA was behind it; it certainly wasn’t the Russians who leaked it, and only WADA and its lab had the information. Lucien Valloni said in his interview, “I think the most influential thing is that the name was spread, and this put all organisations involved on pressure to do something. I think the protection of minors was not done based on the rules. And this is now the consequence – that they have not informed correctly, they should not have informed at all. They should not have delayed the medals ceremony.” The scandal was perfect.
“Kamila Valieva, this young girl and child prodigy, who is enchanting the whole world with her sportiness and grace, is a minor at the age of 15 and she is not to blame here. This scandal is a dramatic turning point for her young and promising career and I sincerely hope that there are enough people at her side to protect her so that she does not break up.” (12)
After the leaks, “The IOC awkwardly opened the source of suspicions, admitting that, yes, there was a legal matter in the hands of lawyers, then by not denying that it could be a doping issue that affected the Russian team, and, above all, by specifying that the fact that an athlete under 16 years of age was involved, made the matter a mess of atomic repercussions.” There was only one Russian skater under the age of 16, Kamila Valieva. “Instead of protecting and preserving the name of a child under the age of 16 involved, as required by the World Anti-Doping Code, as it considers minors “protected persons”, the IOC pointed the finger at her.”
“The ITA, an organization born under the WADA, admitted that it [reneged on] its duty to protect the name of a minor but says it had no choice given the global uproar that had been organized with the matter and given the importance of the sporting achievements of the implicated [i.e., given Valieva’s immense talent]. “The only goal of the top Olympic body is to prevent Valieva’s participation, and her almost certain enthronement as the largest, in the individual contest that begins next Tuesday.” (13)
Why the silence about Sample B?
All tests have samples taken in duplicate. Sample A is sent to a testing lab while sample B remains at home, available for duplicate testing if the need arises. But Valieva’s B sample has apparently not been tested, or at least the results have not been released.
Suspicions of Politics and Skullduggery
Valentina Matvienko referred above, asked “Why did the story initially emerge as an infoglut, a campaign of some Western media, rather than an official statement?” This is a serious matter that most observers might overlook, but frankly stinks when we examine the entire picture. Sputnik News ran a headline “Valieva Case: How Western Sport Agencies Turned 2022 Olympics Into Anti-Russian Vendetta, Again” (14) Looking at the entire landscape, it is difficult to avoid sympathy for this position because the news triggered an hysterical wave of speculation and accusations levelled against Russia and the teenage athlete by the international press.
As soon as Kamila Valieva became the first female figure skater to land a quadruple jump at the Olympics, WADA suddenly made an announcement about her “positive” anti-doping test taken 45 days prior, prompting a wave of anti-Russia media hysteria and criminal prosecution threats from the US Anti-Doping Agency.
“Politicians and media in the West who hate China and Russia have hit the jackpot with news that Kamila Valieva tested positive for a banned drug,” says Rick Sterling, a writer and journalist who has written extensively about doping at the Olympics. “This is a huge distraction from the ongoing events and success of the Beijing Winter Olympics. It is taking over the media. The fact that Russian athletes have been tested more often with fewer positive cases than most other countries is ignored. This story is very much welcomed by those who see China and Russia as ‘adversaries.'”
“In Western media there is an assumption of guilt even when there is little or no evidence”, says Sterling. “For example, in this case it makes no sense that Kamila Valieva would knowingly take trimetazidine. It is a banned drug that everyone knows about. But the media in the West does not look at this reality. They assume guilt. They do not ask who might benefit from this incident”. The ongoing prejudice against Russia is happening because “the US is in decline and trying desperately to undermine Russia and China any way it can”, according to Sterling. “The media and politicians in the West are thoroughly biased and even well-meaning people have been deceived. They don’t know the facts. They believe the propaganda”. (15) “Some analysts believe the accusations against Russia and Russian athletes are part of the Western hybrid warfare against Russia. International sports and the anti-doping movement are being manipulated for political purposes. It is quite possible that US intelligence agencies or their allies are playing some dirty games“.
The “doping scandal” involving the Russian skater looks fishy, according to Guy Mettan, a Swiss politician, journalist, author, and former executive director of the Geneva Press Club. The first question hangs over the conditions of the analysis of the sample by the Swedish laboratory. The second question is why the results have been published the day after the competition and not before, or later. “It is certainly a rather awkward scenario for the authorities, as the positive result should have been reported earlier,” echoes Dr Gregory Ioannidis, a sports lawyer. “This . . . justifiably creates suspicion.” (16)
Considering that the test results were released so late, the President of the Russian Olympic Committee, Stanislav Pozdnyakov, told journalists “It is very likely that someone held this sample until the end of the team tournament of figure skaters at the Olympic Games.” Another official stated, “There is maybe a will to proceed like this in order to compromise the Russian performances at the peak of the Olympic Games in order to give the case a considerable echo in the public opinion.”
There is also the matter of an orchestrated personal attack – a true media frenzy – on Kamila Valieva herself. “The timeline of 45 days for WADA to report the adverse sample has actually, in many people’s eyes, turned the matter from an anti-doping one to the welfare of a child,” says Genevieve Gordon-Thomson, the CEO of Tactic Connect, chair of the UK Sports Association, and vice-chair of British Association for Sport and Law. “No child should be in a position to be subject to any form of a doping scandal. They simply should not be abused in this way. Valieva is a protected person under the WADA Code and thus should be receiving the required support to compete free from suspicion.”
“When Lance Armstrong, Floyd Landis and other runners of the Tour de France tested positive to doping, we never heard so much noise and their cases were presented as ‘errors’ in their careers,” says Guy Mettan. “So it seems to me that Russia is a good scapegoat, paying the highest toll for saving the reputation of a cleaner sport.” The Russian body stressed that it was “necessary” to clear up a few points about the delay of the analysis of the athlete’s sample due to “the information disseminated in the media.”
“Conspiracy or abuse? In Russia, the debate about the doping case of 15-year-old figure skater Kamila Valieva is dominated by the feeling of being the victim of intrigue. A famous Olympic champion argues against the process. (17) The affair surrounding 15-year-old figure skater Kamila Valieva is making big waves in Russia. Her positive test which became known only after the successful team competition at the Olympics, is a serious blow to the entire nation in Russia’s private, state and social media. The Russian Olympic champion in figure skating, Tatiana Nawka, was convinced of Valieva’s innocence, as reported in the daily newspaper “Sport-Express“: “In figure skating, no doping helps you to win a medal.” “The whole thing is clearly a planned action against the Russian team.”
Andrei Chervichenko, the former president of Spartak Moscow and an influential businessman, does not bite his tongue when commenting on the doping scandal during the Beijing 2022. In an interview with the sovsport.ru portal, he commented in harsh words on the confusion around Valieva. Czerwiczeko said, “I am sure that the whole situation was planned by someone much earlier. If something was found, then – I think – it was deliberately left for later, to make the biggest “stench” at the Olympics. So that the septic tank would break out before the competition itself”. He has no doubt that this is an action “specifically aimed at the rising star of figure skating.” “Everything was planned!” (18)
Valieva’s coach, Eteri Tutberidze, told Russia’s state-run TV network Channel One on Saturday in her first public comment on the matter that there were “many questions and very few answers” when it came to positive test results. Despite those unknowns, she said: “I wanted to say that we have full confidence that Kamilla is innocent and clean.” (19) Tutberidze said that Valieva is “clean and innocent” and the positive test was either “a fatal coincidence or a well prearranged plan.” (20)
One Canadian media outlet made this observation: “WADA (made in USA) is not neutral. the two “sisters” in tennis who have 30 Grand Slams blown with [corticosteroids], while no player has managed to surpass 8 Grand Slams in 10 years? (21)
I won’t dwell on it here, but readers should be aware that the terrorist uprising in China’s Tibet in 2008 was America’s gift to China for the 2008 Olympics, courtesy of the CIA. Similarly, the violence in Sochi was America’s gift to Russia for the 2014 Sochi Olympics. I am unaware of a smoking gun, but the circumstantial evidence is overwhelming. War is politics by other means, and seems the Americans will stop at nothing to trash and spoil all Olympic Games held by either China or Russia.
Travis Tygart and USADA
In June 2012, Lance Armstrong (of cycling infamy) filed a suit against Tygart and USADA for harassment. The lawsuit was dismissed but, in his judgment, U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks wrote, “USADA’s conduct raises serious questions about whether its real interest in charging Armstrong is to combat doping, or if it is acting according to less noble motives.” (22)
Photo: Travis Tygart Susan Walsh
In his efforts, Tygart was working with the assistance of an unsavory FBI agent named Jeff Novitzsky, these two gangsters apparently unconcerned with either law or propriety. Novitzsky was described by a variety of federal courts as having “callous disregard for the rights of third parties” and . . . engaging in “unreasonable” tactics amounting to “harassment.” One federal judge even inquired of Novitzsky’s efforts, “Whatever happened to the Fourth Amendment? (protection against unreasonable searches and seizures) Was it repealed somehow?” (23)
It was stated in the lawsuit, and I believe was also proven in court, that Tygart and Novitzsky employed threats and extortion to force other cyclists to testify against Armstrong; that if they refused to do so, Tygart and Novitzsky would destroy their careers. Here is the relevant extract from the lawsuit:
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT WESTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS AUSTIN DIVISION
Civ. Action No. 1:12-CV-00606
Lance Armstrong Plaintiff, v. United States Anti-Doping Agency and Travis Tygart, in his official capacity as Chief Executive Officer of the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) Defendants.
In furtherance of this effort, Defendant Tygart and (FBI) Agent Novitzsky offered other cyclists corrupt inducements—offers some cyclists could not refuse—to implicate Mr. Armstrong in exchange for saving the cyclists’ careers. If they refused to do so, USADA would work to ruin their careers . . .
In looking through the small print, USADA may not be exactly what it appears to be. Its website states, “USADA is recognized by the United States Congress as the official anti-doping organization for all Olympic, Paralympic, Pan American and Parapan American sport in the United States. USADA is also the administrator for the UFC Anti-Doping Program.” The ‘recognition’ part is true, but it seems that USADA sort of created itself and then gave itself authority that was neither legislated nor deserved, rather in the same spirit as if you and I formed such an entity and then simply appropriated to ourselves the “power” to enforce sporting behavior, worldwide, if possible.
Tygart seems to me a psychopathic kind of animal, almost like a deranged hyena, one who indiscriminately hunts prey for the satisfaction of killing, presumably according to some twisted code of righteousness. I see little other purpose to the man’s treatment of young foreign athletes.
From the above and from other information, it also appears that neither USADA nor Tygart are much concerned about their lack of actual legal authority – which may in fact be non-existent. That wouldn’t be so bad if Tygart and USADA stayed home where they belonged but, as with many things American, Tygart seems to arrogantly assume international jurisdiction, using both the media and his gangster extortion tactics to enforce his “code” on the sporting groups of all nations, threatening, as with the cyclists mentioned above, to “destroy their careers” if they refuse to submit to US hegemony. That seems to be the way it is.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)
WADA is a foundation initiated by the International Olympic Committee to deal with the use of drugs in sports, but it is rather heavily tainted with politics and not at all beyond criticism, in particular for the quality and accuracy of its testing, as well as extreme bias against both China and Russia. WADA has repeatedly been forced to shut down one or more of its “accredited” testing labs due to false test results, slipshod handling of samples, and incompetence. There have been major arguments that WADA’s closed testing system does not allow for validation of athlete drug tests. (24) In August of 2008, Nature magazine published an article titled, “A level playing field?” (25) in which they stated the following:
“Drug testing in sport aims to promote fair play, but the science behind the tests needs to be more open. Biostatistician Donald Berry of the University of Texas in Houston outlines what he sees as problems with the way doping tests are conducted. He argues that anti-doping authorities have not adequately defined and publicized how they arrived at the criteria used to determine whether or not a test result is positive. The ability of an anti-doping test to detect a banned substance in an athlete is calibrated in part by testing a small number of volunteers taking the substance in question. But Berry says that individual labs need to verify these detection limits in larger groups that include known dopers and non-dopers under blinded conditions that mimic what happens during competition.
Nature believes that accepting ‘legal limits’ of specific metabolites without such rigorous verification goes against the foundational standards of modern science, and results in an arbitrary test for which the rate of false positives and false negatives can never be known. By leaving these rates unknown, and by not publishing and opening to broader scientific scrutiny the methods by which testing labs engage in study, it is Nature‘s view that the anti-doping authorities (WADA) have fostered a sporting culture of suspicion, secrecy and fear. Drug testing should not be exempt from the scientific principles and standards that apply to other biomedical sciences, such as disease diagnostics. The alternative could see the innocent being punished . . .”
WADA naturally rejected all these arguments, but the “closed-format” secrecy of WADA’s tests have been in public suspicion for a long time, especially given the heavy political nature of the Olympics and other professional sports. There have been cases where the testing by WADA labs was declared invalid by CAS (26) – the same organisation that permitted Valieva to continue her Olympic participation. And of course, Valieva’s major (and very vocal) attackers are the same USADA and WADA. That isn’t a coincidence.
Another major case was the controversy over China’s Sun Yang, where the Chinese athlete was accused of blood doping. The entire test process was heavily tainted and Sun was cleared of wrongdoing, but WADA appealed the decision and Sun was banned for eight years for the ‘crime’ of failing to cooperate with test officials who could produce no ID and apparently operated on Tygart’s lawless principles. A short while later, a Swiss Federal Tribunal set aside Sun’s ban due to an extreme racial bias of the president of the panel, who had previously tweeted severe anti-Chinese racial slurs, and also because another arbitrator was in a serious conflict of interest. Sun’s ban was then substantially reduced on the basis of underlying racism, but it wasn’t really anti-Chinese racism: it was anti-China politics. (27) (28) (29)
And of course, the media were there to support USADA and WADA, the UK Daily Mail with a headline screaming “Chinese drug cheat swimmer Sun Yang launches appeal against his eight-year ban”, (30) and many similar. That isn’t news; it’s hate literature fueled by ideology and Western supremacy and, of course, politics and, in these cases, leaked and initiated by WADA and USADA.
The above information may have been tedious to some readers but it is necessary – in the light of what is happening to Kamila Valieva – to understand that USADA and WADA, and in fact the Olympic Committee itself, are quite far from being chaste, virginal, and pure as the driven snow. The Olympic movement and its accessories are not about sports; they are about money and political power, both of which, when on an international scale, are biased and untrustworthy, and often borderline criminal in both intent and act. Olympic sports are heavily contaminated by the diseases of Western ideology and politics, and sacrificing the career of a young athlete is considered irrelevant when one is “making the world safe for democracy”. It is also true that various US factions remain in control of the entire international scope of all these organisations, events, tribunals, and direction. The US has never, and will never, participate in any organisation it cannot control; hegemony is always paramount.
A Bit of Historical Background
In terms of sacrificing the career of a young athlete, you might consider the case of 16-year-old Chinese swimmer Ye Shiwen who won two gold medals in the 2012 Olympics and set a new world record and a new Olympic record. Many Olympic athletes testified that such a great performance was likely due to a “growth spurt”, claiming they had personally experienced astonishing improvements in their performance at that particular stage in their lives.
But the young girl hadn’t even time to dry herself off before the accusations emerged, The American John Leonard, executive director of the World Swimming Coaches Association, said the 16-year-old’s performance was “suspicious”. “The one thing I will say is that history in our sport will tell you that every time we see something, and I will put quotation marks around this, ‘unbelievable’, history shows us that it turns out later on there was doping involved.” Leonard said Ye “looks like superwoman”. “Any time someone has looked like superwoman in the history of our sport they have later been found guilty of doping.” And the man wouldn’t stop: “I have heard commentators saying ‘well she is 16, and at that age amazing things happen’. Well yes, but not that amazing. I am sorry.” (31)
Of course, all the Western media picked up on Leonard’s unfounded accusations and thoroughly trashed poor little Ye Shiwen who had done nothing to anyone, who had passed all her multiple tests with flying colors, and was simply a very talented swimmer. They trashed the girl so badly, and so reprehensibly unjustly, without a shred of evidence, that they severely damaged her career and undoubtedly did much psychological damage as well. These disastrous events never go away; a young person’s life can be ruined. That was ten years ago, but do a search today for “Chinese swimmer cheater” and Ye Shiwen’s name will come up first every time. And that’s the plan.
As evidence of the underlying political scaffolding behind all Olympic sports (and fueling the drive to trash all Chinese and Russian stars), The Toronto Star’s Cathal Kelly made a political “outburst about Ye being the one to “drive home the sword” in the death of the U.S. dream team.” Marni Soupcoff of Canada’s National Post was much kinder and more reasonable when she wrote, “Trashing Ye and the Chinese women’s swimming program would be appropriate if Ye had tested positive for a banned substance, or if there were credible reports of Ye taking something she shouldn’t. But since she hasn’t tested positive, and there are no such reports, all the griping about Ye’s gold seems more like the rest of the world just being a bad sport. If you ask me, that kind of attitude is just as damaging to the spirit of the Games as actual doping.” (32)
It was interesting to me that Leonard rejected all comparisons to Michael Phelps, an American swimmer who won four gold medals in that same Olympics, making a total of 7 or 8, far ahead of anyone else. I have no doubt that Phelps is an exceptional athlete, but when we see “superman” and “unbelievable”, we can also become “suspicious”. I have no wish to tarnish Phelps but, to be honest, I have the same feeling about his performances that I always had about Lance Armstrong. Those feelings may be unjustified, but they exist. Nevertheless, the main point is that the entire Western media had only praise for an American who did something great, but had only disparaging and hateful comments and dirty accusations for a young Chinese girl who did the same. This was not an accident; it was Olympic politics. And this is what is happening today to Kamila Valieva, and for the same reasons.
The CAS Hearing and Decision
Upon the revelation of the failed test, RUSADA levied a temporary suspension on Valieva, which she contested, and which was withdrawn. Immediately upon the withdrawal, all the related American institutions went into overdrive, demanding that the suspension be reinstated and made permanent. Russia declined, so the Americans filed a demand with the top Olympic authority to have Valieva removed from Olympic competition and be banned, at least temporarily if not permanently. These demands were supported by what I have to say was a truly astonishing degree and volume of condemnation of this young girl by all of the Western media – the “infoglut” again. To say it was vicious and hateful would be an understatement of considerable proportion.
The Olympic Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), held its hearing in a nearly-all-night session on February 14, 2022, in which they denied the American demand to ban Valieva from Olympic competition. I am quoting here the important portions of the CAS hearing and their decision. The entire text can be seen at: (33)
MEDIA RELEASE – OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES BEIJING 2022
THE CAS AD HOC DIVISION DECLINES TO IMPOSE A PROVISIONAL SUSPENSION ON THE RUSSIAN FIGURE SKATER KAMILA VALIEVA
Beijing, 14 February 2022 – The Ad Hoc Division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has issued its decision in the arbitration procedures relating to the Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva (the Athlete): the applications filed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the International Skating Union (ISU) have been dismissed.
The three Applicants had challenged the decision issued by the RUSADA Disciplinary Anti-Doping Committee [to lift] the provisional suspension imposed on Kamila Valieva, allowing her to continue her participation in the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022.
NOTE: There were several “legal actions” filed simultaneously:
The IOC v. Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA)
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) v. Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA)
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) v. Kamila Valieva
The International Skating Union (ISU) v. Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA)
The International Skating Union (ISU) v. Kamila Valieva
The International Skating Union (ISU) v. Russian Olympic Committee (ROC)
These were all handled together and referred to the same panel of arbitrators:
President: Mr. Fabio Iudica, Italy
Arbitrators:
Mr. Jeffrey Benz, United States of America
Dr Vesna Bergant Rakočeviċ, Slovenia
The CAS Panel has given the following reasons for its decision: [to deny all applications to ban Kamila Valieva]
1) It has affirmed the jurisdiction of the CAS Ad Hoc Division in this matter
2) On the basis of the very limited facts of this case, and after consideration of the relevant legal issues, it has determined that no provisional suspension should be imposed on the Athlete due to the following exceptional circumstances:
a) The Athlete is a “Protected Person” under the World Anti-Doping Code (WADC);
b) The RUSADA Anti-Doping Rules and the WADC are silent with respect to provisional suspension imposed on protected persons, while these rules have specific provisions for different standards of evidence and for lower sanctions in the case of protected persons;
c) The Panel considered fundamental principles of fairness, proportionality, irreparable harm, and the relative balance of interests as between the Applicants and the Athlete, who did not test positive during the Olympic Games in Beijing and is still subject to a disciplinary
procedure on the merits following the positive anti-doping test undertaken in December 2021; in particular, the Panel considered that preventing the Athlete from competing at the Olympic Games would cause her irreparable harm in these circumstances;
d) The CAS Panel also emphasized that there were serious issues of untimely notification of the results of the Athlete’s anti-doping test that was performed in December 2021 which impinged upon the Athlete’s ability to establish certain legal requirements for her benefit, while such late notification was not her fault, in the middle of the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022.
3) In conclusion, the Panel determined that permitting the provisional suspension to remain lifted was appropriate.
Cleared to Compete
The CAS confirmed the decision of the agency of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) to lift a provisional suspension against Valieva. The CAS said Kamila could compete due to “exceptional circumstances,” including provisions linking her as a “protected person” — because she is a minor under the World Anti-Doping Code. The CAS noted that she did not test positive during the games and that “preventing the athlete from competing in the Olympic Games would cause her irreparable harm in these circumstances.” (34)
“Probably the right decision,” says ARD doping expert Hajo Seppelt. Because it is not a question of whether Valieva is innocent or guilty. “Probably not even the B sample is open.” From his point of view, “the only question was what happens if she is possibly acquitted at some point after the Olympic Games in a proper procedure of the International Skating Union.” Then she would have been “suspended now and she would have been unfairly deprived of the chance to become an Olympic champion.” (35)
In addition, the current European champion had not tested positive during the Winter Games in Beijing. CAS Director General Matthieu Reeb said “a number of questions have not been resolved. The most discussed: Why was the result of the rehearsal not known until February 8, one day after the team decision?” The delay deprived Valieva of the opportunity to “meet certain legal requirements,” the CAS statement said. Reeb said, “We all wouldn’t be here if it had taken a week or ten days as usual.” (36) This “late notification”, by the Stockholm laboratory in charge of the analysis, “prevented the athlete from reacting” even though she had nothing to do with it, explained to the press Matthieu Reeb, the director general of the CAS. (37)
The president of the Russian Figure Skating Federation, Alexander Gorshkov, told the state agency Ria Novosti: “The only thing that can be said here is that common sense and justice have won.” However, it remains to be seen how things will continue. (38) “The process surrounding Valieva now holds a double irony for the IOC: While the committee has focused its sole attention on collecting as much money as possible at the Olympics with the staging and production of beautiful glossy pictures, one of the most important decisions of the Games is now made unadorned behind closed doors.” (39)
Kamila Valieva attended (by video) the entire hearing which lasted until past 3:00 AM, but 30 minutes after the decision this 15-year-old girl was already out on the training rink. (40)
She told Russia’s TV Channel One: “These days have been very difficult for me, emotionally. I am happy but emotionally fatigued. That is why these tears of joy and a little bit of sadness. But, of course, I am happy to take part in the Olympic Games. I will do my utmost to represent our country.”
“Apparently, this is a stage I have to live through,” she added. “I hear so many good wishes. I have seen outdoor banners in Moscow. It is very pleasing; this support is very important for me in this difficult time. I thought I was alone but my closest friends and family will never abandon me.” CAS confirmed that Valieva testified during its lengthy hearing, which ended at about 3am. Valieva said she watched the entire hearing by video link from the Olympic Village. “I sat there for seven hours, we had one 20-minute break, and I sat there and watched. It was very difficult, but it is apparently one of the moments, of the phases, that I have to go through,” Valieva said, adding that the entire process had taught her that adult life “can be unfair to some extent”. (41)
But we need to ask ourselves how much a young girl can endure. Kamila will be able to skate, but this is not fair competition with such enormous pressure and the virility of the personal attacks against her. Instead, it prompts enormous cynicism about the financial and political nature of the Olympics.
A Few Kind Words – The Calm Before the Storm
The UK Guardian wrote, “But the overriding image of this night was of Valieva, with the world’s gaze and pressure weighing down on her, once again showing the talent that many think makes her the best female skater in history. Valieva rightly now goes into Thursday’s free skating programme as a huge favorite for gold. The tragedy for her is that the chances of an Olympic medal around her neck hang increasingly by a sequin’s thread.” (42)
Amid the international attention generated by the scandal, her choreographer Alexey Zheleznyakov was asked on social media how Valieva came to test positive for trimetazidine at Christmas. He said: ‘I’m not a god, I have no idea, there are a lot of options, but I’m sure of one thing: Kami doesn’t touch anything forbidden in life; with her talent it’s not necessary.’ (43)
RT news wrote, “She could light up the Games with another supernaturally gifted performance and have nothing stronger to show for it than more derision from those who would cast her as a cheat without her level of innocence ever being properly adjudicated on.” (44)
The president of the Russian Figure Skating Federation, Alexander Gorshkov, told the state agency Ria Novosti: “The only thing that can be said here is that common sense and justice have won.” (45) However, it remains to be seen how things will continue. The CAS judges have not yet decided on a possible new award of the medals for the team competition or further consequences for Valieva and her accompanying staff.
Now they tug and push the girl [with] a political issue, while she only wants to skate. Nobody believes that she took the pills on purpose. “Kamila is not to blame here,” the ice princess [Katerina Witt] defends. “This scandal is a dramatic turning point for her young and promising career,” says Witt. “I sincerely hope that there are enough people at her side to protect her so that she doesn’t break up.” (46)
A ban on the athlete has been lifted by Russia’s anti-doping agency. On Friday, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) appealed against this repeal to the International Court of Sport, without presumably being at fault for it. (47)
The German publication Eurosport wrote the following: “At the final training session before the most important competition of her career so far, Kamila Valieva glided across the ice as if the nightly hearing and the fear of the Olympic exclusion had not existed. The Russian prodigy had escaped the Olympic judicial thriller with his lawyers, sports judges and doping hunters for the time being. But the freestyle becomes a mammoth task for the young athlete.
The truth is, however, that when the 15-year-old figure skater competes in the short program at Capitol Indoor Stadium on Tuesday despite a positive doping test, she will walk on her narrow shoulders under reservation and unimaginable pressure. After the sensational CAS ruling on Monday afternoon, even more eyes will be on them. Its story is the excitement of the Winter Games in Beijing, it overshadows the sporting events and tears up trenches.” (48)
However, if Valieva wins a medal in the individual competition, there will be no award ceremony for her – neither a flower ceremony directly after the competition nor a medal ceremony. This was decided in a fit of resentment by the IOC executive shortly after the CAS ruling. The medal handover to the Russian team will also no longer be made up during the Games in Beijing. According to the IOC, it will be done “in a dignified manner” as soon as the sports law proceedings around Valieva have been completed. The problem, as you will see later, is that the Americans can drag this out for 25 years, especially considering Tygart’s intention to have USADA’s “intelligence agencies” investigate Valieva’s entire “entourage”.
Valieva’s Suspension is Lifted, and Captain America goes Ballistic
The TV monitors for the CAS video conference had barely been turned off when the American sports authorities displayed the most astonishing protracted outburst of revilement and invective against Kamila. To say they felt aggrieved and bitter at Kamila’s freedom to compete in the Olympics, would be an understatement of some proportion. WADA’s President Witold Banka said it was unforgivable (to let the girl skate) and that everyone involved should be banned for life and thrown in jail, presumably including Kamila. (49)
Sarah Hirshland, Managing Director of the U.S. Olympic Committee, had this to say: “Athletes have the right to know that they are competing in fair conditions. Unfortunately, this right has been denied today. This seems to be another chapter of Russia’s systematic and pervasive disregard for clean sports. One is disappointed with the message that the judge’s decision sends. However, the case is not yet closed. We call on everyone in the Olympic community to continue the fight for clean sport for the benefit of athletes around the world.” (50) She then accused Russia of continuing to systematically disregard “clean sport.” (51) She even publicised her comments on Twitter. (52)
Hirshland didn’t stop there. “Another chapter in Russia’s systemic and widespread disregard for clean sport. We are disappointed with the message this sends. It is the collective responsibility of the entire Olympic community to protect the integrity of the sport and to hold our athletes, coaches and all involved to the highest standards. Athletes have the right to know that they are competing on an equal footing. Unfortunately, today, that right is being denied.” (53) The lady managed to have her comments spread around the world in a matter of hours. (54)
The Spanish El País reported: “Just a minute after CAS’s announcement, the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOPC) issued a statement of tears and regret. “We are disappointed by the message this decision sends,” said the Americans, who finished second in the team competition and would win gold if Russia is disqualified. “Athletes have the right to know if they all compete on equal terms, and, unfortunately, today they are deprived of that right. This is just another chapter in Russia’s systematic and utter disregard for clean sport.”
The CAS resolution has not pleased WADA at all, which has not taken long to show its “disappointment” through a statement in which it accuses the court, established by the IOC to resolve all disputes in sport, of not having applied the only anti-doping law, its world code. “It does not allow specific exceptions in the application of provisional suspensions for protected persons, including minors,” WADA said in its reproach. The CAS, however, had solved this point by pointing out that precisely the code does not develop at all how provisional suspensions are applied to protected persons.
WADA also uses its statement to justify the delay of the Stockholm laboratory in communicating the results, the main reason why the Valieva imbroglio has grown in the middle of the Games. Of this delay (nearly two months, much more than the 10-day normal set by the code), WADA blames Russia, which when it sent Valieva’s urine sample from St. Petersburg, where it had been taken, to the Swedish laboratory, did not indicate on the form that it needed an urgent response, and then did not bother to claim the result. “That’s why Stockholm did not accelerate the analysis,” explains WADA, which finally recalls that the important thing, in any case, is to get to the bottom of the matter, Valieva’s doping. Was there doping? Who encouraged the 15-year-old athlete, a healthy athlete, to take heart medicine? “It is mandatory, in cases of minors, to investigate the athlete’s support staff. The Russian anti-doping agency [the body that must decide in the first instance whether Valieva doped] has told us that it has already set itself to the task. Our intelligence unit, however, will keep a very close eye on their movements.” (55)
The President of the Canadian Olympic Committee and member of the International Olympic Committee, Tricia Smith, thought this was a sad situation for athletes. “The situation that has occurred with respect to the doping case of the Russian figure skating athlete is extremely unfortunate and sad for the athletes. The Canadian Olympic Committee is fully committed to clean sport and firmly believes that no one involved in doping or other corrupt practices has a place in the Olympic Movement. Although we trust that the TAS’s decision was the result of a fair trial, we are extremely disappointed with this outcome.” Wada too was brokenhearted. “Wada is disappointed by today’s ruling by the Ad Hoc Division of the TAS. Although Wada did not receive the reasoned award, it seems that the College of the CAS has decided not to apply the terms of the Code, which does not allow specific exceptions in relation to mandatory provisional suspensions for ‘protected persons’, including minors.” (56)
Various Olympic Committees were no less pleased, and the IOC decided to withhold all medals until this matter is resolved, effectively placing on Kamila’s shoulders the blame by all the other athletes for failure to receive their medals. And this against an outcry of opinion from all other authorities. Charming.
“While the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Monday allowed the 15-year-old prodigy to continue her Games with the individual event on Tuesday, after helping the Russians win the team event, the IOC considers it “inappropriate” to hold the ceremonies without the merits of the case being decided.” The IOC stated, “for the sake of fairness between the athletes concerned”, will therefore wait until the violation by the young Russian teenager of the anti-doping rules has been established, which usually takes several months, to determine the podium of the team event. The IOC, along with the ISU and the World Anti-Doping Agency, had unsuccessfully asked the CAS to reinstate the provisional suspension of Kamila Valieva. Valieva, which benefits from specific rules for under-16s, faces a suspension of up to two years, as well as the retroactive cancellation of all its results since December 25 – team gold and possible individual Olympic medal included.” (57) “This is a terrible dilemma. A very unsatisfactory situation,” (for the Americans) said IOC spokesman Mark Adams.
The World Anti-Doping Agency has now accused Russia of serious mistakes in dealing with the doping case. As Wada announced on Monday in Beijing, the lifting of the provisional suspension of the Russian woman, who tested positive in December 2021, by the RUSADA Disciplinary Committee would “not comply with the provisions of the Wada Code”. The doping affair surrounding the exceptional figure skating talent is therefore not just about clean sport at the Beijing Games. Russia’s reputation, which has been damaged since the state doping scandal, is also under scrutiny again. The International Olympic Committee, Wada and the World Skating Federation did not want to accept the lifting of a temporary ban on the European champion. (58)
It wasn’t long before everyone jumped on this bandwagon. USADA CEO Travis Tygart said: “Only time will tell if she (Valieva) should be competing in these Games and whether or not all of her results will be disqualified. Unfortunately, either way, for the sixth consecutive Olympic Games, Russia has hijacked the competition and stolen the moment from clean athletes and the public. In addition to athletes and the public, this young athlete has been terribly let down by the Russians and the global anti-doping system that unfairly cast her into this chaos.” Former WADA director David Howman said, “The decision simply confirms the need for all samples collected pre-Games to be analyzed pre-Games as requested. Now all will have to wait for post-Games decisions and appeals before certainty. The IOC will have to award medals they may need to request back. The system works if people monitor it and enforce it. All samples collected from athletes going to the Games need to be analyzed before. This is now embarrassing for all. And for athletes hardly reassuring that the promised clean games are being delivered.”
Tygart is entitled to his opinion, but it seems to me that it was Tygart’s USADA and WADA who “hijacked” the competition and “stole the moment” for the sake of trashing Valieva. And even if Valieva’s test were really positive, “Russia” had nothing to do with it.
American Johnny Weir, Olympic figure skater, said, “I can’t condone the decision. There was a positive drug test, therefore the athlete who tested positive, at fault or not, regardless of age or timing of test/result, should not be allowed to compete against clean athletes.” American Tara Lipinski, former figure skater, echoed her friend’s sentiments: “I strongly disagree with this decision. At the end of the day, there was a positive test and there is no question in my mind that she should not be allowed to compete. Regardless of age or timing of the test/results. I believe this will leave a permanent scar on our sport.” (59)
But it didn’t end there. WADA (with the help of Travert and USADA) wants to make everyone pay – with the “sanctions” for which the US is becoming famous worldwide. And it’s letting the whole world know about this. WADA said in a statement to Reuters that it would ask its “independent Intelligence and Investigations Department” to investigate the coaches, doctors and other adults surrounding the athlete. (60) (61) (62) “The entourage of teenage Russian Olympic figure skater Kamila Valieva could be on thin ice. They are set to be investigated by the World Anti-Doping Agency as the 15-year-old awaits a verdict on her future at the Beijing Games.” (63)
CBS News wrote, “Legal troubles for the coach and others in Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva’s orbit could emerge in the United States even after her doping case from the Beijing Games has been resolved. Anti-doping experts say the episode falls under the scope of a recently enacted U.S. law that criminalizes doping schemes in events involving American athletes. The law calls for fines of up to $1 million and prison sentences of up to 10 years for those who participate in doping programs that influence international sports. Doctors and coaches who give performance-enhancing drugs to athletes are directly liable” under the new law, said one of its authors, attorney Jim Walden. “They are at risk of jail, steep fines, and forfeiture. And I suspect the FBI is already hot on this trail.” (64)
This is of course referring to the infamous Rodchenkov Act, by which the US permits itself yet more extraterritorial jurisdiction to sanction, fine, steal from, extort, and maybe even imprison, anyone who doesn’t want the world to be safe for democracy. “The head of the U.S. Doping Agency, Travis Tygart, told Reuters and CNN he was considering bringing charges under the Act, which was enacted in 2020 and carries penalties of up to $1 million in fines and up to 10 years in prison. “I think that [the FBI has] got a lot of leads to follow in this circumstance,” Walden, a managing partner at Walden Macht & Haran, told Forbes about an investigation into Valieva’s coach and doctor, who he noted have previously had rumored issues with doping. (Not true) “This is exactly what the Rodchenkov Act was designed to do.” The U.S. could also take action against adults associated with the 15-year-old skater—like her Russian coaches and doctors—under the Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act, which lets the U.S. prosecute other countries’ doping schemes when they involve international events at which U.S. athletes compete. (65)
This would be comical if not so tragic. Tygart and his brethren would like to fine everyone in Russian sport, again presumably including the arch-criminal Kamila Valieva, one million dollars each and put them all into prison for ten years. If they could do it, they would.
The Best Part Saved for Last
We all know that Russia and China are the poster children for illegal and banned drugs in sports, and we know that because we have been told this literally hundreds of times. But is that really true? Actually, no. The country with the worst record for blood doping and illegal drugs in sports is the USA. The reason we don’t know is because the Western media are so heavily political and biased and censor anything not pleasant. And, they forgive themselves very easily. Here are a few facts to support this assertion.
The Biggest Doping Scandals in Olympics History
Lance Armstrong
One of the biggest doping scandals in Olympic and sports history was Lance Armstrong from the USA, winning seven consecutive Tour de France competitions ending in 2005, and a medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. But in 2012 all his medals and titles were revoked from the exposure of “elaborate, multifaceted doping scheme within Armstrong’s U.S. Postal Service team.” But Armstrong wasn’t excoriated in the media nearly as badly as Kamila Valieva is today, and he even appeared in a TV interview with Oprah Winfrey where he freely admitted all that guilt – but wasn’t really a bad person. He just made a few “mistakes”. (66)
Armstrong battled suspicions and accusations for ten years or more, but always escaped, in very large part due to the generosity and kindness of the WADAs and USADAs of the American world, and with the full knowledge of the US Olympic Committee. In 1999 when he won his first Tour de France, he tested strongly positive for banned steroids, but the American authorities cleared him when he produced a medical certificate showing that the steroids were necessary for “saddle sores” from riding his bicycle so often. (67)
During the years of suspicion and accusation, Armstrong actually successfully sued many people, including the London Times over an article by David Walsh, claiming defamation of character. “But eventually, the truth caught up with Armstrong. USADA published tomes of evidence and said he orchestrated one of “the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen.” When the receipts dropped, a rash of Lance Armstrong defamation cases landed in court coffers. Parties that had previously lost libel suits against the athlete wanted their money back! The London Sunday Times, being one of those parties.” That was pleasant to watch. (68)
Carl Lewis
We can all remember that Ben Johnson won the gold medal for sprinting at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, and we also remember the shock in learning that he tested positive for steroids three days later and was stripped of his medal, the top place then going to Carl Lewis of the US. Ben Johnson was banned and disappeared in shame, but later events proved that he probably deserved his gold medal after all because not only Carl Lewis but the entire US team was proven to have been on steroids during their entire careers. Johnson took the fall for all of them. (69)
To this day, Wikipedia is ecstatic about Carl Lewis: “Frederick Carlton Lewis (born July 1, 1961) is an American former track and field athlete who won nine Olympic gold medals, one Olympic silver medal, and 10 World Championships medals, including eight gold. His career spanned from 1979 to 1996, when he last won an Olympic event. He is one of only six Olympic athletes who won a gold medal in the same individual event in four consecutive Olympic Games.” (70)
But the truth is very different. According to Reuters, “If anti-doping regulations had been strictly enforced, Calvin Smith, a gifted American sprinter with a distinctive upright style, would have left the 1988 Seoul Games as the Olympic 100 meters champion and world-record holder.” (71) This Reuters article was titled, Smith true winner of ‘dirtiest race’ in history. The UK Guardian ran an article telling us that “The documents prove what the sporting community has long suspected: the US did not take drug testing seriously while accusing the rest of the world, particularly the Soviet Union and East Germany.” (72) There is much more here.
Carl Lewis is very open about the steroid and drug use by himself and all members of American Olympic teams, and isn’t the least bashful about admitting it. In an article titled, ‘Who cares I failed drug test?’, Lewis freely admits he tested positive for steroids and other banned substances, but claims that he was “just one of hundreds” of American athletes who were allowed to escape bans. “There were hundreds of people getting off,” he said. “Everyone was treated the same.” Lewis has now acknowledged that he failed three tests during the 1988 US Olympic trials, which under international rules at the time should have prevented him from competing in the Seoul games two months later. The admission is a further embarrassment for the United States Olympic Committee, which had initially denied claims that 114 positive tests between 1988 and 2000 were covered up.” (73) The facts are that when Lewis tested positive for steroids, he offered the claim that he ingested them unknowingly in vitamin pills, the US Olympic Committee then clearing him for “inadvertent use”.
“It will add weight to calls by leading anti-doping officials and athletes for an independent inquiry into the US’s record on drug issues. Dr. Wade Exum alleged that a ban imposed on Lewis after positive tests for three stimulants had been overturned by the USOC when the athlete said he had ingested them mistakenly in an herbal supplement. Lewis received only a warning after officials ruled that his positive tests were due to “inadvertent” use.”
As to Lewis’ remorse for his undeserved medals: Lewis said he was not concerned about the uproar around the world caused by the revelations. “It’s ridiculous. Who cares?” he said. “I did 18 years of [doped] track and field and I’ve been retired five years, and they’re still talking about me, so I guess I still have it.”
American hypocrisy gives me such a headache
Photo: olympia-geht-fuer-sie-weiter FAZ
But it is much worse, and goes much deeper than this. “The former director of the United States Olympic Committee’s drug control administration, Dr. Wade Exum, filed a lawsuit that claims, among other things, that USOC has covered up a large number of doping positives in the last 20 years. USOC no longer handles doping control in the US, as that has fallen to the US Anti-Doping Agency, the US branch of WADA. He claimed he was forced to leave USOC due to his objections to “USOC’s dangerous and unethical doping policies.”
Dr. Exum has been supported in his case by his predecessor, Dr. Robert Voy, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of the USOC from 1983 to 1989, who left the USOC and reported doping abuses in his 1990 book Drugs, Sports, and Politics. Dr. Voy submitted an affidavit for Dr. Exum’s case that stated, “Based on my experience and expertise, I believe that the USOC and/or the various NGBs, have covered-up evidence of American Olympic level athletes testing positive for banned PEDs (performance enhancing drugs).” After Dr. Voy left, Dr. Exum began working for the USOC as the Director of Drug Control Administration. (74)
ABC News covered the story at the beginning, but it soon died. According to ABC, “U.S. Olympic leaders have been accused by their former doping chief of hampering his fight against drugs, and the U.S. Olympic Committee evading its responsibility to screen and discipline athletes for drugs in its quest to produce medal-winners. The lawsuit says that about half the American athletes who have tested positive for prohibited substances have gone unpunished. Exum claims his anti-drug efforts were “willfully and repeatedly undermined “by the committee’s “unwillingness to adopt an anti-doping program that had any real probability of preventing athletic doping and protecting the health and well-being of American athletes.” He stated further, “The USOC’s real interest is “procuring gold medalists who perform not just superbly, but who realize superhuman achievements,” (like Michael Phelps) the suit claims, adding that the USOC “knows that to achieve these superhuman records, doping must occur.” (75)
“The suit accuses the USOC of deferring to each sport’s individual governing body on discipline, resulting in punishments that are nonexistent or so light that they encourage drug use. It says Exum was told to mind his own business when he raised concerns that non-doctors were given keys to what the suit calls “a pharmacopeia” in the USOC’s Sports Medicine Division and allowed to dispense the medicines to athletes.”
Marion Jones
“Marion Jones is an American former world champion track and field athlete and former professional basketball player. She won three gold medals and two bronze medals at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, but was later stripped of her medals after admitting to steroid use.” (76)
“At the time of her admission and subsequent guilty plea, Jones was one of the most famous athletes to be linked to the BALCO scandal.[4] The case against BALCO covered more than 20 top level American athletes. A 2003 investigation into the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative (BALCO), which supplied steroids to a variety of high-profile athletes, led to suspicions that American sprinter Marion Jones had used performance-enhancing drugs. But it wasn’t until 2007 that Jones admitted to past use of a designer steroid known as “the clear.” Jones said she began using the steroid just weeks before the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. Jones returned the five medals she won in those games, including gold medals in the 100-meter and 200-meter races, and the 4 x 400-meter relay. Jones had also nabbed bronze medals for long jump and the 4 x 100-meter relay. All of Jones’ race results after Sept. 1, 2000, were expunged, and she was given a two-year ban.”
There are many more such. The important point is that there were literally hundreds of American athletes competing in World and Olympic competitions who were doing blood doping, using steroids and other banned substances, often with the full knowledge of US sport officials and sometimes with their assistance – and always with their protection. Not only did the US sports organisations protect and forgive their athletes, the US managed to bully the international organisations to avoid targeting American athletes. One report stated that at least 35 Olympic gold medals were unfairly won by Americans.
It was so bad during this time, that I am convinced the Russian sports officials turned to steroids and doping because they knew all the Americans were doing it, and they stood no chance unless they adopted the same methods. There is ample evidence that the US was by far the worst sports offender for the longest period of time. It is largely the media control that has led the world to believe the US is somehow clean and China and Russia are not clean. From the historical record, nothing could be further from the truth. And there is little reason to believe anything has changed.
“Irina Rodnina, a three-time Olympic champion, currently a State Duma deputy, spoke harshly about the situation with figure skater Kamila Valieva. “The situation with Kamila Valieva is a huge scandal for our sport, and most importantly, we don’t know what the consequences will be. Why is Russia so disliked? I have another question: why does Russia make so many mistakes? How many medals have we lost because of doping? About 40 medals!” Russia makes mistakes that are unacceptable in sports, and does not draw any conclusions from it afterwards, Irina Rodnina added.” Irina, everything you say may be true, but now you know the reasons. (77)
The Western Media Infoglut
When the news of Kamila’s test was revealed, the entire Western media pounced on the young girl in what appeared to be a planned frenzy of denigration, one that I have seldom seen in the past. It reminded me of an attack by sharks or, maybe better, hyenas, with their sickening laughing sounds. (https://youtu.be/JRFsiJC1sPQ). I was astonished at the intensity of the attacks, and their consistency, leading me to conclude the attacks were being scripted and choreographed from a central source – as I believe they were.
Within hours of CAS refusing Kamila’s suspension, the media in all Western countries, but especially the English-speaking world, engaged in a violent and incessant series of disparaging and hateful attacks on both the girl and on Russia. It seemed that every publication carried its quota of three to five thoroughly nasty articles each day, with the evening news on all the major networks opening with something unpleasant to say. It was not only USADA and WADA, but the various Olympic Committees from the US, Canada, Germany and other countries in the NATO camp all joining in the conspiracy to trash a lovely and talented young girl who had never done anything to anyone.
I cannot recall these organisations ever having done that before, to any other person. It is beyond belief that men at that height would stoop so low as to trash an innocent 15-year-old girl far more than anyone did with even Jeffrey Epstein or a serial killer. I cannot fathom what would be in the minds of such people to do such a thing. They were knowingly and deliberately destroying the reputation of a young artist for cheap political gain. That is stunning. One might understand her competitors being jealous and making unkind remarks, but these officials are grown men at high international levels. How pitiful they must be, to take satisfaction in such low meanness.
I fault many of the media columnists in the same manner. These are privileged people, with their control of the microphone, and yet they use it for the lowest purposes. Here is a brief sample of the hundreds of the poisoned articles I encountered:
“Stop us if you’ve heard this before: a Russian Olympic athlete (15-year-old Kamila Valieva) was caught for doping and is at the center of an Olympic scandal. (78) The case of Valieva once again shows how colossally [the world] has failed with its far too negligent appeasement policy towards Russia. Eight years after the state doping scandal in Sochi, Russian sport is at least in some areas uglier than ever. As one who dopes young girls and treats them like disposable goods.” (79)
“It is obvious that Valieva would never have been in this situation if WADA, the IOC and CAS had done their job and banned Russia from world sport.” “Research of the sports show on the environment of the young woman reveals a disastrous mixture – of an extremely tough trainer and a physician who has repeatedly proven in the past to go beyond the boundaries of the gray areas.” (80) “The disposable children” (81) “Criminal play with children” (82) “Doping thriller about Wunderkind; She (Kamila) enchanted the world, but probably also deceived it.” (83)
The US coach Adam Rippon, who won Olympic bronze four years ago and now coaches Valieva’s competitor Mariah Bell, was the most vocal critic. “I don’t know how the Olympics recovers from this,” he said. “It is shocking and it is disappointing. I don’t think ever in the history of the Olympics somebody with a positive test has been allowed to compete.” Well, except Americans.
Like many, he expressed sympathy for Valieva – before suggesting her entourage, led by her coach Eteri Tutberidze, was to blame. “All of our hearts are breaking that this is a 15-year-old girl,” he said. “It feels like she was taken advantage of and given this drug that she had no business taking.” Then came a twirl of the knife. “What this says is that the team around her are child abusers,” Rippon said. “The only thing they care about is performance, and not the health and well-being of their athletes. They are a factory that pumps out children who can compete, up to a certain point. It doesn’t feel like the coaches involved in the ladies’ program are coaches at all, but dog trainers; they’re running a circus. They shouldn’t be here at the Olympic Games. They’re clowns.” (84)
Pharmacologist and anti-doping expert Fritz Sörgel: “For me, this is human breeding. At the age of ten, it is decided which sport the child should do. Then it is trimmed for Wunderkind. Often the crash comes at the age of 18 or 20. Selected – child prodigy – gold medal – forgotten and worn out. It would be hilarious if so much harm wasn’t being done to clean American and Japanese skaters who won’t get to wear their team event medals on the Olympic podium because another Russian doping scandal robbed them of their moment.” (85) Ouch. Ouch, ouch.
“CAS’s decision to let Valieva compete, on the grounds that maintaining the suspension would cause her irreparable damage, has prompted outrage from athletes and officials around the world. Russian skaters, skiers and hockey players are identified here as Russian Olympic Committee athletes, as a reminder that their state-sponsored doping effort at Sochi 2014 scandalized the Games yet again and they cannot fly the flag until they straighten up and fly right. It’s the proverbial slap on the wrist, and weakness from the IOC is exactly what the Russians have expected and exploited for ages. But first, let her skate, let the harm be done, and then try to repair it. Let her skate, and if she wins, the IOC will simply have to try to claw back her medals when the world isn’t so interested, just as they have done with so many cheating Russians before her. Written by dbarnes@postmedia.com; feel free to send your comments. (86)
It was interesting that Marion Bell, the US favorite – but sure to lose to Valieva – talked about “clean sports, integrity, and doping testing as she left the press area with her head held high.” The American way. But Valieva solemnly passed by with her head bowed and refused to communicate. So who is the real champion?” — wrote Brennan in his “Twitter”. (87) Well, if I were a teenager and the whole world was condemning me for being a cheat and a criminal and a ‘disposable child’, I would probably hang my head too. Even if I were a superior American.
“US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) head Travis Tygart alleged that Russia has “hijacked” the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and has “stolen the moment from clean athletes” for what is the “sixth consecutive” edition of the Games.” (88) “Alexander Bolshunov took as much gold as he could. The only problem is that he and the other Russian athletes should never have been on the starting line in this Olympics.” (89) (90)
Harsh, no-exceptions penalties must be put in place for athletes of all ages who test positive for performance-enhancing drugs. (91) Even if Kamila Valieva wins, she will be defined by what she has lost. (92)
“The girl was gone, nearly all gone, 15 years old and absent an adolescent spirit. Maybe most of the child in Kamila Valieva had vanished earlier, but the isolation of precocious talent is different from infamy. On the saddest night of the Beijing Winter Olympics, with every probing eye locked on her, a teenager was made a renegade.” (93)
“The skating community, Weir said, is furious that Valieva is being allowed to compete. Lipinski said she feels that anger — and sadness, too. Valieva helped the Russian Olympic Committee win the team event earlier in the Games and leads the women’s competition after the short program.” (94)
“The 15-year-old fought back tears as she completed the 2 minute and 40 second routine, watched by millions around the world, her music almost drowned out by the clicking of cameras.” (95)
Photo: How Hwee Young
Epilogue – They Got What They Wanted
In the final session, Kamila finished fourth and was out of the medals for individual competition – where she was by far the favorite. She made mistakes on several different jumps throughout her routine, falling on a few separate occasions, and ruining her chances at finishing first. (96) (97) (98) The 15-year-old nevertheless received loud applause from those in the stands, but she left the ice in tears at the end of her routine, and was inconsolable afterwards as the emotions from the prior days appeared to catch up with her. This wonderful young star still has a chance to possess her gold medal, depending on the results of the test examination. But whatever happens now, there will be no joy or happiness; everything has been pushed to the limit and the memories forever tarnished – for Kamila and for Russia. Nothing will repair this damage now; it has gone too far.
The Media – a Bit of Sunshine, But Not Much
The BBC‘s Sonia Oxley wrote, “You almost wanted to look away, it felt wrong to be watching. Watching this unfold, you could not help wonder what would be the long-term effect of having gone through all this on the world’s biggest stage. Watching this unfold, all you could think was – she’s a child.” (99) “Under the immense weight of a huge doping scandal, Valieva finished in fourth place in the women’s individual event. Valieva – who was the clear favorite to finish in first – broke into tears as she left the ice as the emotion of the past few days appeared to catch up with her.” (100) (101)
Katerina Witt of Germany, a very popular former gold medalist herself, was overcome by Kamila’s performance. On German television, when the camera turned back to the studio after watching Kamila’s loss, she had tears in her eyes and turned away from the TV camera, at one point asking the crew to turn off the camera. She said, “I’m sorry, but that’s actually unbearable. [Kamila] was a shadow of herself when she went out there”, adding that Kamila couldn’t possibly have withstood the pressure and won there with the game that was being played against her. (102) Witt said that even if Kamila had skated perfectly and become an Olympic champion, there would always have been the conversations about how she was “dirty”. “What happened now is the worst thing: she is broken by it. She had to go out there. I think they have been accused of eating the world. Everyone was watching, you have to break.”
In a brittle voice, watching Valieva’s failed freestyle, Witt said, “Exactly what they should have been protected from has happened. “She’s 15, she’s a child. You see her sitting there, collapsing…” Witt added, “Will we ever see her again?” Then Witt, who knows Valieva personally, added something further: “A young life is being destroyed. Kamila is not one who would consciously do doping. She doesn’t need that at all.” (103) “They have been put under political pressure. Someone responsible should have taken her out and put her on a plane, home, three months away from all this hustle and bustle. Before the tsunami even started. She is completely the loser in the whole game. What has been done here is irresponsible.” (104)
The UK Guardian for once in its life ran an article containing a bit of human kindness, unfortunately mixed with the ideological nastiness for which the Guardian has become famous. Still: “One question lingered at the Capital Indoor Stadium as Kamila Valieva’s head sank towards her ankles, the tear ducts refused to shut and the Olympic dream of the greatest female skater in history came tumbling horribly to earth. Was all this really worth it? The trials and global tumult of the past week were already far beyond what any 15-year-old should have to bear. Yet Thursday’s free skate programme somehow heaped fresh indignities – and fears for [Kamila’s] situation.
Sadly, Valieva’s pain is not yet over. She now faces months of limbo while her positive test for trimetazidine . . . is resolved in the courts. It is possible that she still might escape an anti-doping ban, which would enable her to pick up the gold medal she helped win in last week’s team event. Those comments will upset a great many countries and a great many skaters. But they will, at least, provide Valieva with a degree of hope. And that was an element otherwise missing on a painful and chaotic night in Beijing.” (105)
The German Stern wrote, “The pressure was too great: Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva failed dramatically in the freestyle at the Olympic Games. The gold favorite and “miracle skater”, who is criticized for alleged doping, crashed several times and finished fourth. Kamila Valieva almost tragically failed in her freestyle in the figure skating singles and missed out on a medal as the big favorite, although she was still in the lead after the short program. She took the thankless fourth place after days of fuss about her doping offense.” (106)
And Then All the Nasty Stuff
The New York Times gleefully led the parade by proclaiming, “A Russian Star Falls . . . in a Blur of Jumps, Tumbles and Tears.” (107)
The NYT didn’t stop there: “Winning an Olympic gold medal had been her aim since she was just a young girl . . . In those early years of skating, she rose quickly in the sport, pegged as a natural. Years ago, a tiny Valieva dressed in a tiny white costume straight out of “Swan Lake” glided across the rink doing her tiny jumps and moving her body with a dancer’s soft arm positions and elastic legs. Even at that age, she moved so gracefully to the music that the notes seemed programmed into her DNA. But on Thursday, she was a different Kamila Valieva, one whose name will forever be synonymous with one of the biggest doping controversies in Olympic.” (108)
CNN, equally gleefully, told us that “Kamila Valieva falls multiple times in free skate program, finishes in fourth place in the women’s individual event.” (109)
Canada’s treasured CTV News informed us that “Valieva unravels to finish fourth. The favorite after winning the short program, the Russian phenom fell twice in an error-filled skate to “Bolero.” And looking very much like a 15-year-old, she sobbed in the “kiss and cry” after her scores were announced. But in the biggest Olympic skating scandal since the 2002 Salt Lake Games, Valieva will be the Russian everyone remembers. After a week of outrage following a failed drugs test, 15-year-old Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva left the ice in tears as her controversial Olympics came to a distressing conclusion. In the end it became one of the most uncomfortable, unpleasant moments of sport in recent memory. (110)
The media moguls can always find an outlier to echo the sentiments they want to spread to the public, to lead the way in telling us how to think about a particular event. In this instance, they found what they needed in the person of Japanese skater Kaori Sakamoto, who finished third in the short program. “Do I feel sorry for Kamila? No, I don’t think so.” According to the German Stern, “The statement makes it clear how much the competition is annoyed by the Russian team.” (111)
And our psychopathic hyena from USADA, Travis Tygart, said, “On the one hand, my heart breaks for her because of the despicable acts of the adults in her life and the catastrophic failures of the Russian and IOC-run systems that permanently cast a dark cloud over her performances. “On the other hand, all of us who value clean sport are sick to our stomachs because these failures have tragically robbed clean athletes of their incredible sacrifice and Olympic dreams.” (112)
The Italian media were equally unkind. Italy’s Corriere della Sera began with, “Kamila Valieva, Olympics: the 15-year-old Russian, tense for the doping case, falls twice and says goodbye to the medal. Kamila Valieva, at the center of the most sensational doping case of the Olympics, the little girl who falls apart. She misses the quadruple-triple combination, falls, gets up, falls again. She arrives at the end with the face of someone who has seen a ghost, the last ones are sad spins: on the ice her sport drama is consumed.” (113) The newspaper finished with, “Valieva, from doping to farewell to the medal.” (114)
But the Gold Medal for child sociopathology goes to Dan Barnes of Canada’s National Post, beginning with “Kamila Valieva falls off podium that wasn’t going to be there even if she won an Olympic medal. In four minutes that must have seemed to her like four hours, Valieva flamed out in spectacular fashion.” He continues: “[Kamila’s] presence so corrupted the latter competition that the International Olympic Committee announced that there wouldn’t be a victory ceremony if she won a medal. A second tarnished medal wasn’t in the cards. If you were cheering for just such a thing to happen, shame on you. How many 15-year-olds can get their hands on heart medication? [Kamila’s coach Tutberidze] brought Valieva here, perhaps thinking the dirt would not seep out. But it stained the ice because the IOC was powerless to prevent the kid from skating.” (115)
However, always in praise of Americans, Barnes had this to say: “But there were reasons not to hate the whole night. Mariah Bell of the United States is 25, which practically makes her a fossil in this discipline, and she was awesome, skating to K.D. Lang’s chilling version of Hallelujah. Eleventh after the short program, she moved up to 10th.“
There is much more, but you really don’t want to read it. Dan Barnes’ email address is dbarnes@postmedia.com if you care to tell him anything.
Valieva Destroyed
Former ice dance world champion Alexander Zhulin said “international sporting authorities will have to live with the consequences of “ruining” Russian star Kamila Valieva’s Olympic dreams after her doping case ordeal in Beijing. This is a tragedy. What they have done is the destruction of a child and a person. I have never seen Kamila so lost. Valieva seemed badly impacted by the scandal in a bitterly disappointing free skate program on Thursday.” (116)
“Russian figure skating sensation Kamila Valieva’s Winter Olympics destiny was decided before her emotional final performance at the Beijing Games, legendary coach Tatiana Tarasova has claimed after watching the 15-year-old end a campaign blighted by her anti-doping case with fourth place in the individual competition. World Figure Skating Hall of Fame member Tarasova, who won the last of her eight gold medals while coaching Russian athletes, admitted that it would have been impossible to comfort the visibly crestfallen Valieva afterwards.
“How can you console Camila?” asked Tarasova, suggesting that the star had been badly affected by a week of frenzied media coverage following the announcement of a drug test result from the Russian championships on December 25. “She was killed, killed, killed and killed. We saw it today. Valieva held her head in her hands and wept after a showing that she was clearly not happy with. Despite being deemed a ‘protected person’ by WADA as a minor and being unable to mount a proper legal defense over the non-performance enhancing substance, Valieva has been portrayed by some media outlets as a symbol of what they perceive as a doping crisis involving Russia.” (117)
Andrei Zhurankov, a Russian commentator, said on TV, “Respected sports officials, you have destroyed the most talented figure skater in the world.”
Sports psychologist René Paasch now advises Valieva after the great media emergence of the last few days that “she is now moving away from the media in order to calm down. It will take time [for her] to be able to appear openly in the media again. This no longer has anything to do with performance, but is simply inhumane. For Valieva, however, the crash into a mental hole could now follow.” (118)
Paasch says that to restore her image, Kamila must somehow prove to the world that she can perform “independently of substances“, but that this will take years, and may be impossible in light of the enormous flood of media damage that has already been done. My guess is that, like Ye Shiwen, in ten years we will be able to search for “Russian skater cheater” and little Kamila’s name will be at the top of the list. And in any case, figure skating, like gymnastics is a sport for the very young; it can be extremely difficult to last for another attempt.
The Agenda: Total Elimination of Russia from the Olympics
The world’s Western media, led by the Americans, is making very clear their ultimate intention is to have Russia permanently banned from the Olympic Games, never again able to participate because they are so “dirty” and “unrepentant”. CNN tells us this would be humanity at its finest, “if Russia had already been banned from the Olympic arena after its previous infractions, how many children’s lives might be different today? How many Kamila Valievas are there in the pipeline who can be saved from harm?” This was in an article by Kaitlyn Weaver, pretending to want the figure-skating dreams of young girls to come true, but the thrust of the article was the destruction of Russia. (119)
Dick Pound, the “founding president” of WADA (who else) and a former vice-president of the IOC, says it is “time for a time out for Russia in the Olympics” because Russia has been cheating for too long, is unrepentant, and will never stop. All this is based on one test of a young girl, a test unrelated to the Olympics, and one that may well be resolved in Valieva’s favor. Pound ignores all this in favor of the real agenda. His version is that Russia needs “the nuclear option” of a total ban because “That’s not a healthy atmosphere for Russia. And it’s not a healthy atmosphere in which the athletes from the rest of the world have to compete in competitions where there are Russians.” (120)
The German Stern can also be very nasty when it comes to China or Russia: “The case of Kamila Valieva reinforces prejudices against Russia. This makes it all the more serious that Russia is already banned for systematic state doping. The athletes compete under the flag of the Russian Olympic Committee, instead of the national anthem, Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 is played at award ceremonies. This is exactly the topic addressed by the US Athletes’ Association AAC, which called on the IOC to guarantee all participants “clean and fair games”. The international association Global Athletes made it clear that Valieva should never have competed. There would be no discussion if the anti-doping agencies, the IOC and the Court of Arbitration for Sport Cas had “done their job and banned Russia from world sport”. (121)
Criticism of the IOC
There are a few muted voices on the other side. Johannes Herber, the managing director of Athletes Germany, makes clear that “These Olympic Games are more political than any before. Rarely has the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had to deal with so much criticism, especially President Thomas Bach who is in the crossfire of criticism because of the events in Beijing. He says the IOC is much at fault for “not taking a stand” on important matters. (122) It was stated by the BBC that “There will also be intense questions posted to the authorities – the IOC, ROC, CAS and the International Skating Union, in particular – about how this situation was allowed to develop to the stage it overshadowed the competition and left a 15-year-old in this position.” (123) I sympathise with the BBC, but “intense questions” to the boards of these powerful organisations will simply be dismissed; they have no need to listen to anyone about fairness or humanity, and in any case their agenda is political not humane.
The reason the sports authorities will be deaf to all criticism is that they are not doing their jobs badly; they are performing perfectly according to their real agenda – which could be briefly summarised as “Bring as much embarrassment, financial loss, humiliation, pain, to both China and Russia. The Olympics are merely one cannon in their arsenal. This is the cause of the “investigations” by WADA, USADA, and the IOC, into Kamila, Kamila’s entire ‘entourage’, the ROC and much more. If there is any way they can use US laws to “sanction” Kamila and many others, they will do it, and things would not have progressed to this late stage without a plan that is likely foolproof. (124)
According to the BBC, “Denis Oswald, the chair of the IOC Disciplinary Commission “It is clearly a wish and a decision of the IOC but also WADA to examine all aspects of this case including the situation of the entourage because, of course, you can imagine a girl of 15 would not do something wrong alone – so yes, the entourage will be investigated,” Oswald told reporters. WADA has already said it will be investigating the teenager’s entourage, including coaches, doctors and other adults surrounding her. Valieva’s Games may be over but this story is far from finished.” (125)
The Russians are of course very angry at all this. The head of Russia’s Olympic Committee says, “We categorically disagree with this. Regarding the result of the team tournament, the Russian Olympic Committee has already sent a letter to the ISU [International Skating Union] in which it stated in detail the position that the results of the team tournament are not subject to revision under any circumstances, regardless of the outcome of the disciplinary investigation against the athlete. The anti-doping rules [state] that a review of results in a team event would only take place if the alleged anti-doping violation had been committed during the Olympic Games. We will defend this position consistently in any possible proceedings, including in the CAS, if required.” (126) (127)
A Note to an Angel
My Dear Kamila;
It is unfair that at such a young age you are exposed to some unpleasant truths of the world. You are carrying much weight on your shoulders. Providence has blessed you with some great gifts and also, it seems, some great trials. You must never doubt your ability to handle them. Don’t be afraid.
At your level, skating is about artistry and personal fulfillment, but at the world level, at the Olympic level, skating is about money and politics. The people who manage international sports organisations do not care about the athletes. They are not interested in struggle and achievement. They do not care if you succeed or fail. Do not let that distress you.
Kamila, you must try to understand that what happened to you was not your fault. There are evil people in the world who want to destroy Russia. Your test result was deliberately withheld as part of a plan for an excuse to ban your country forever from the Olympic Games. It was not about you. You just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, standing alone on the track when the train came. Everyone knows you are innocent of the accusations; never doubt that.
You must not blame yourself for any failure. There are very few adults who could have performed well, with the enormous pressure that you felt. Give the wounds time to heal, and try again. You will succeed.
You are at the beginning of your life, and everything is still dark and unformed. Try to understand: When the little spring of water first bubbles up from the ground, it does not know which way it will go. But it follows its nature; it fills up everything in its path, it doesn’t shrink from any plunge. It always remains true to itself, always takes the path of least resistance, and eventually it finds the ocean.
Whether you know it or not, at least one billion people in the world know who you are, and they are cheering for you, and they share your hope for your dreams. You are not alone. Believe in yourself.
“Whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.”
All my Best,
Larry Romanoff
Mr. Romanoff’s writing has been translated into 32 languages and his articles posted on more than 150 foreign-language news and politics websites in more than 30 countries, as well as more than 100 English language platforms. Larry Romanoff is a retired management consultant and businessman. He has held senior executive positions in international consulting firms, and owned an international import-export business. He has been a visiting professor at Shanghai’s Fudan University, presenting case studies in international affairs to senior EMBA classes. Mr. Romanoff lives in Shanghai and is currently writing a series of ten books generally related to China and the West. He is one of the contributing authors to Cynthia McKinney’s new anthology ‘When China Sneezes’. (Chapt. 2 — Dealing with Demons).
His full archive can be seen at https://www.moonofshanghai.com/ and https://www.bluemoonofshanghai.com/
He can be contacted at: 2186604556@qq.com
*
NOTES
(3) https://www.sportschau.de/olympia/investigativ/russland-eiskunstlauf-gnadenlos-100.html
(8)https://www.wsj.com/articles/kamila-valieva-olympics-figure-skating-russia-doping-11644853846
(10)https://www.rt.com/sport/549346-kamila-valieva-doping-case-media-coverage/
(11) https://www.zdf.de/nachrichten/sport/olympia-peking-2022-eiskunstlauf-doping-walijewa-100.html
Notes – from The Failed Test Onward
(1) https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/14/sports/olympics/valieva-drug-test-heart-medications.html
Kamila Valieva’s sample included three substances sometimes used to help the heart. Only one is banned.
(2) https://www.zeit.de/sport/2022-02/olympia-russin-kamila-walijewa-darf-trotz-dopingvergehens-starten
Russian figure skater allowed to start despite positive doping test
(3) https://www.ctvnews.ca/sports/valieva-listed-2-legal-oxygen-boosters-on-olympic-forms-1.5783455
Valieva listed 2 legal oxygen boosters on Olympic forms
(4) https://www.rt.com/sport/549525-kamila-valieva-usada-doping-sample-olympics/
USADA comments on new Valieva claims
Doping thriller about Wunderkind
Kamila Valieva sample shows 3 substances related to treating heart conditions
(7) https://www.rt.com/sport/549267-wada-responds-valieva-beijing-decision/
WADA blames Russian officials for Valieva test result delay
(8) https://www.rt.com/sport/549070-reason-kamila-valieva-test-delay/
Anti-doping officials explain mystery Valieva test delay
‘Why Now?’ Sports Lawyer Questions Timing of Kamila Valieva’s Doping Test Results
Western Forces Could Be Behind Valieva’s Doping Case, Russian Parliamentary Speaker Says
Western Forces Could Be Behind Valieva’s Doping Case, Russian Parliamentary Speaker Says
Doping thriller aboutWunderkind
Russian skater Kamila Valieva tested positive for doping six weeks before winning gold at the Winter Games
Valieva Case: How Western Sport Agencies Turned 2022 Olympics Into Anti-Russian Vendetta, Again
Valieva WADA Test: Sports & Anti-Doping Movement Manipulated for Political Purposes, Journo Says
(16) https://www.rt.com/sport/549350-rusada-wada-valieva-test-delay/
Russian officials respond after Valieva test delay blame
Conspiracy or abuse?
“Everything was planned!” A surprising theory about a 15-year-old on doping
(19) https://greeleytribune.net/what-we-know-and-dont-know-about-the-kamila-valieva-case/
What we know and don’t know about the Kamila Valieva case
(20) https://www.wsj.com/articles/kamila-valieva-olympics-figure-skating-russia-doping-11644853846
Why Russian Skater Kamila Valieva Is Allowed to Compete at the Olympics
Kamila Valieva can continue her Olympic journey
(22) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travis_Tygart
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT WESTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS
(24) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Anti-Doping_Agency
(25) https://www.nature.com/articles/454667a
A level playing field?
(26) https://www.tas-cas.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Bulletin_2013_2_complete.pdf
CAS Bulletin
(27) https://www.sportsintegrityinitiative.com/why-the-sun-yang-decision-should-be-overturned/
Why the Sun Yang decision should be overturned
(28) https://www.sportsintegrityinitiative.com/should-changes-follow-sun-yangs-eight-year-ban/
Should changes follow Sun Yang’s eight year ban?
(29) https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/23/sports/olympics/sun-yang-china-doping.html
Chinese Swimmer’s Doping Ban Is Lifted After Accusation of Racism
Chinese drug cheat swimmer Sun Yang launches appeal against his eight-year ban
(31) https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2012/jul/30/ye-shiwen-world-record-olympics-2012
Ye Shiwen’s world record Olympic swim ‘disturbing’, says top US coach
Marni Soupcoff: What if Chinese swimmer Ye Shiwen is just really, really good?
(33) https://www.tas-cas.org/fileadmin/user_upload/CAS_Ad_Hoc_Media_Release_Beijing_8.pdf
THE CAS AD HOC DIVISION DECLINES TO IMPOSE A PROVISIONAL SUSPENSION ON THE RUSSIAN FIGURE SKATER KAMILA VALIEVA
Kamila Valieva: 5 things about the Russian skater, 15, at the center of a scandal of the Winter Olympics
Despite doping suspicion: Valieva is allowed to run for second gold
Despite doping suspicion: Valieva is allowed to run for second gold
OLYMPIC Games-2022: Russian skater Kamila Valieva allowed to pursue her Olympic destiny
(38) https://www.sportschau.de/olympia/eisschnelllauf/fall-walijewa-doping-wada-kritik-cas-rusada100.html
Russia rejoices, athletes’ association is outraged – reactions to CAS ruling
Case of Valiyeva: Help from the expert for doping with noble gas
Just over half an hour after the CAS decision, the 15-year-old was already on the training rink.
Valieva team claim positive test may be due to grandfather’s heart medication
Kamila Valieva: Russian skater in gold medal position in individual event
Kamila Valieva’s choreographer insists ‘with her talent, it’s not necessary’ to cheat
(44) https://www.rt.com/sport/549346-kamila-valieva-doping-case-media-coverage/
As Valieva targets Olympic glory, there can be no winners in Beijing
How Russia savours the verdict as a triumph over the rest of the world
Toeloop and Salchow she jumps four times, which has never been achieved by a woman at the Olympics.
(47) https://www.zdf.de/nachrichten/sport/olympia-peking-2022-eiskunstlauf-doping-walijewa-100.html
Kamila Valiyeva-Doping drama about Russia’s miracle runner
FIGURE SKATER KAMILA VALIEVA IS UNDER HIGH PRESSURE AT THE FREESTYLE AFTER CAS VERDICT
U.S. Cries Out Against CAS Decision
(50) https://www.zeit.de/sport/2022-02/olympia-russin-kamila-walijewa-darf-trotz-dopingvergehens-starten
She has reacted disappointed to the judges’ decision. Hirshland said.
Sarah Hirshland grumbled. The president of the U.S. Olympic Committee
(52) pic.twitter.com/wbGUIR67eS
(53) https://www.zeit.de/sport/2022-02/olympia-russin-kamila-walijewa-darf-trotz-dopingvergehens-starten
Russian figure skater allowed to start despite positive doping test
(54) https://it.notizie.yahoo.com/c%C3%A8-lok-del-tas-kamila-095907531.html
There is the ok of the Tas, Kamila Valieva can compete but will not have medal
Kamila Valieva will skate in the individual competition of the Winter Games but without the right to a medal
(56) https://www.sportschau.de/olympia/eisschnelllauf/fall-walijewa-doping-wada-kritik-cas-rusada100.html
Russia rejoices, world outraged.
Kamila Valieva can continue her Olympic journey
(58) https://www.welt.de/sport/olympia/article236891965/Valieva-Wie-Russland-den-Sieg-im-Fall-Valieva-als-Triumph-auskostet.html
How Russia savors the verdict as a triumph over the rest of the world
Reaction to Russian teen skater Valieva being cleared to compete in Olympic event
(60) https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/winter-olympics/olympics-valieva-s-entourage-targeted-by-ioc-as-valieva-hearing-looms/ar-AATMqpe
Olympics-Valieva’s entourage under investigation by World Anti-Doping Agency
WADA has also said it wants to investigate Valieva’s team.
(62) https://www.bbc.com/sport/winter-olympics/60364731?at_campaign=KARANGA&at_medium=RSS
Winter Olympics: Kamila Valieva’s entourage to be investigated by Wada
(63) https://news.yahoo.com/valievas-entourage-targeted-ioc-153249000.html
Valieva’s entourage targeted by IOC
(64) https://www.cbs17.com/sports/olympic-skaters-entourage-could-face-trouble-under-us-law/
Olympic skater’s entourage could face trouble under US law
Russian Doping Scandal Fallout: FBI Could Investigate And Coaches Prosecuted Over Valieva Case
13 Years Later, Lance Armstrong Returns Olympic Medal
Doping at the Olympics: The Most Infamous Cases
(68) https://kellywarnerlaw.com/lance-armstrong-defamation-london-times
Lance Armstrong Defamation: The Times Wants Its Money Back
Secret 1988 Olympic report goes behind the scenes of Ben Johnson’s drug-test hearing
(70) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Lewis
(71) https://www.reuters.com/article/us-athletics-johnson-smith-idUSBRE98M0PT20130923
Smith true winner of ‘dirtiest race’ in history
(72) https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2003/apr/18/athletics.duncanmackay
Lewis thrown off his pedestal as American credibility hits new low
(73) https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2003/apr/24/athletics.duncanmackay
Lewis: ‘Who cares I failed drug test?’
(74) https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/exum-claims-large-scale-cover-up-of-doping-positives/
Exum claims large scale cover-up of doping positives; published April 29, 2005
(75) https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/story?id=100883&page=1
U.S. Olympic Leaders Accused of Doping
(76) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marion_Jones
(77) https://english.pravda.ru/sports/150323-kamila_valieva/
Irina Rodnina: Why does Russia make such huge mistakes?
Kamila Valieva: 5 things about the Russian skater, 15, at the center of a scandal of the Winter Olympics
(79) https://www.sportschau.de/olympia/eiskunstlauf/kommentar-seppelt-walijewa-100.html
Russian sport partly uglier than ever
Case of Valiyeva: Help from the expert for doping with noble gas
The disposable children
Criminal play with children
Doping thriller about Wunderkind
Kamila Valieva: Russian skater in gold medal position in individual event
Russian teenager Kamila Valieva skates through doping storm at Beijing Olympics
GLOBAL OUTRAGE
Valieva disappointed the American journalist: “I passed by with my head down”
(88) https://www.rt.com/sport/549316-usada-wada-valieva-/
Russia has ‘hijacked’ Beijing Games, rages US anti-doping boss
(89) https://www.rt.com/sport/548550-bolshunov-russians-beijing-saltvedt/
Russians ‘shouldn’t be in Beijing,’ claims Norwegian journalist
(90) https://www.nrk.no/sport/gullene-ol-trengte-_-inkludert-det-vi-ikke-ville-ha-1.15844286
The golds the Olympics needed – including what we didn’t want
Sabrina Maddeaux: Russian Kamila Valieva’s young age doesn’t excuse doping leniency at Beijing Olympics
(92) https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/olympics/2022/02/15/kamila-valieva-loss-of-innocence/
Even if Kamila Valieva wins, she will be defined by what she has lost
(93) https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/olympics/2022/02/15/kamila-valieva-loss-of-innocence/
Even if Kamila Valieva wins, she will be defined by what she has lost
(94) https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/olympics/2022/02/15/johnny-weir-tara-lipinski-kamila-valieva/
As Kamila Valieva skates, NBC’s Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski express their outrage
Valieva shines through doping cloud as Beijing holds its breath
Kamila Valieva falls multiple times in free skate program, finishes in fourth place in the women’s individual event
(97) https://www.bbc.com/sport/winter-olympics/60399342
Winter Olympics: Kamila Valieva misses out on podium as she finishes fourth
Canadian Madeline Schizas 19th in Olympic women’s figure skating; Russia’s Valieva finishes off podium
(99) https://www.bbc.com/sport/winter-olympics/60421438
Kamila Valieva: Anger and sympathy as 15-year-old breaks down at Winter Olympics
Why Kamila Valieva’s ‘very traumatizing’ skating controversy matters
“She has been accused of eating the world”: Katarina Witt cries over Walijewa in the TV studio
“Unbearable” – Katarina Witt breaks down in tears
Unbearable” – Katarina Witt bursts into tears”
Kamila Valieva’s Olympic gold hopes vanish amid ROC anger, tears and joy
Falls and tears: Figure skater Valiyeva tragically fails in the freestyle
(107) https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/17/sports/olympics/kamila-valieva-falls-fourth-figure-skating.html
A Russian Star Falls . . . in a Blur of Jumps, Tumbles and Tears.
(108) https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/17/sports/olympics/kamila-valieva-falls-fourth-figure-skating.html
A Russian Star Falls and Another Rises in a Blur of Jumps, Tumbles and Tears
Kamila Valieva falls multiple times in free skate program, finishes in fourth place in the women’s individual event
Russia’s Shcherbakova skates to gold, Valieva unravels to finish fourth
The anger of the competition against miracle runner Valiyeva is enormous
Kamila Valieva falls multiple times in free skate program, finishes in fourth place in the women’s individual event
Kamila Valieva, Olympics: the 15-year-old Russian, tense for the doping case, falls twice and says goodbye to the medal
Valieva, from doping to farewell to the medal
Russian skater Kamila Valieva falls off podium that wasn’t even going to be there if she won an Olympic medal
(116) https://www.rt.com/sport/549753-alexander-zhulin-kamila-valieva-tragedy/
IOC & WADA ‘destroyed’ Valieva, says skating icon; Alexander Zhulin accused international sports officials of ruining the ‘brightest star of figure skating’
(117) https://www.rt.com/sport/549749-valieva-trusova-russia-olympics-beijing-tarasova/
Inconsolable Valieva was ‘killed’ at Olympics – coaching icon
Legendary coach Tatiana Tarasova watched Kamila Valieva finish fourth in a painful end to the Russian figure skater’s Olympic campaign
Medal missed – sports psychologist explains the consequences of the doping case for 15-year-old Valieva: Training “is simply inhumane”
(119) https://edition.cnn.com/2022/02/17/opinions/olympic-figure-skating-doping-weaver/index.html
My Olympic figure skating dream came true. Don’t let others get ruined
Why Kamila Valieva’s ‘very traumatizing’ skating controversy matters
The anger of the competition against miracle runner Valiyeva is enormous
(122) https://www.welt.de/sport/plus236879201/Johannes-Herber-ueber-IOC-Es-ist-einfach-traurig.html
“It’s just sad that the IOC is not taking a stand”
(123) https://www.bbc.com/sport/winter-olympics/60421438
Kamila Valieva: Anger and sympathy as 15-year-old breaks down at Winter Olympics
(124) https://www.bbc.com/sport/winter-olympics/60399342
Winter Olympics: Kamila Valieva misses out on podium as she finishes fourth
(125) https://www.bbc.com/sport/winter-olympics/60421438
Kamila Valieva: Anger and sympathy as 15-year-old breaks down at Winter Olympics
Russian Teen Figure Skater Kamila Valieva Comes 4th in Women’s Single After Unprecedented Pressure
(127) https://www.rt.com/sport/549766-russian-olympic-committee-figure-skating-valieva/
Emotional Russian Olympic boss responds to Valieva drama
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February 20, 2022
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