Former CSKA Moscow football player Vladimir Ponomarev (recognized as a foreign agent in the Russian Federation) said in an interview with socialbites.ca during the hearings in the doping case of Kamila Valieva, which is being considered at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne (CAS), there are many inconsistencies.
According to him, the 17-year-old athlete had no reason to take prohibited substances.
“I saw that he was accused of doping, but I didn’t really understand how they proved it. You have to show something important; how, when. And it is dishonorable to accuse a person in this way. How can he, who is a smart and intelligent mind, admit everything? Running or running where endurance is required? “They can use something when cross-country skiing, but why is it used in figure skating? Moreover, if you lose orientation in space after that? So what, they don’t understand anything?” – said Ponomarev.
On January 29, CAS suspended Valieva for four years for violating anti-doping rules due to the presence of a banned substance in her blood. The penalty period begins in December 2021.
As part of the Russian national team at the 2022 Olympic Games, Valieva took first place in the team tournament and fourth in the individual championship. After his disqualification, the International Skating Union (ISU) awarded the Russians third place, without depriving Russia of the overall medals. Gold went to the US team and silver went to the Japanese team.
Former coach of Spartak Valery Gladilin stated About the shortcomings of lawyers in the Kamila Valieva case.