The president of the Republic of Kalmykia, who also chairs the Supreme Supervisory Council of the Russian Kickboxing Federation, Batu Khasikov, shared reflections on the Kamila Valieva doping case, the 2022 Olympic champion in team skating. In an interview with socialbites.ca, he refrained from predicting the outcome of the ongoing trial, praising Valieva as a hero and urging the public to focus on her accomplishments rather than the controversy.
“It is difficult to weigh the odds when the situation feels highly manufactured and politicized”, Khasikov noted. “For us, Kamila Valieva remains a hero, a symbol of Russian sporting excellence and national pride. It would be better for her to ignore the surrounding noise and keep moving forward with confidence. We should defend the truth, but not be overwhelmed by the discourse. Stay true to oneself and carry on with head held high.”
The Russian figure skater’s case came into the spotlight after traces of the banned substance trimetazidine were detected in a doping test following the team event victory at the Beijing Games. Despite the positive finding, she competed in the individual event, where she finished in fourth place.
The matter is currently before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). A hearing took place in September, and the court postponed a ruling until November to allow for the preparation of further documents. The trial is scheduled to resume on November 9 and 10. If Valieva is found to have violated anti-doping rules, the Russian team could be stripped of its Olympic team gold medals. The awards have not yet been allocated pending the resolution of the case.
Early on the day of the trial, Valieva posted a video expressing a fierce personal resolve, stating that thoughts of revenge occupied her mind. This sentiment underscored the heightened emotions surrounding the proceedings and the broader implications for the sport’s reputation and future governance.