Alexander Tikhonov, the four time biathlon Olympic champion, has weighed in on Kamila Valieva’s future in major competition. He believes the young Russian figure skater should make a return to high level sport, emphasizing the value of perseverance and character. According to Tikhonov, history contains several examples of athletes who came back after sanctions, and Valieva should view her path as a possible comeback rather than a final chapter.
Valieva faced a four year suspension from competition after a positive test for a banned substance was detected in her blood. The suspension was imposed to begin in December 2021, marking a long pause in a season that had drawn global attention to her talents and the pressures surrounding elite skating. The decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport has shaped the trajectory of her career and sparked ongoing discussion about redemption, accountability, and the standards expected of young athletes on the world stage.
During the Russian national team’s involvement at the 2022 Olympic Games, Valieva contributed to a team gold for Russia, while she finished fourth in the individual event. In the wake of her disqualification, the International Skating Union decided to award third place to the Russian team in the team competition, a move that preserved the team podium but left the individual results and overall medal table unchanged with the United States claiming gold in the event and Japan earning silver in the individual discipline. These outcomes have continued to fuel debates about fairness, the impact of anti doping rules on athletes, and the balance between punishment and the possibility of future participation on the world stage.
Valieva’s case has also drawn commentary from former Russian football figure Valery Masalitin, who suggested the possibility that doping concerns might still be a factor in evaluating her career. The broader conversation involves not only the specifics of Valieva’s case but also how the sport handles allegations, testing protocols, and the pathways available to athletes seeking to rebuild their reputations after sanctions. The discussion touches on the pressures facing young skaters, the support systems in place within national teams, and the long term implications for training, competition readiness, and public perception. Critics and supporters alike point to the need for clear guidelines that protect athlete health while allowing for responsible opportunities to compete again when circumstances permit and when the sport’s governing bodies determine that the time is right for a return to action, training, and competition as part of a plausible road back to the highest level of performance. The episode serves as a touchstone in ongoing questions about how sport reconciles past suspensions with the durable drive many athletes bring to their craft and the enduring demand for fair play and integrity in competition, particularly for athletes who achieved prominence at a young age and have since faced intense scrutiny from fans, media, and governing bodies alike.