Ksenia Sinitsyna, a Russian figure skater, spoke about her bronze medal at the 2024 Russian Championships in the wake of Kamila Valieva’s disqualification for violating anti-doping rules. Her reflections appeared in Sports Express as she navigated the complex aftermath and the shifting standings that followed the CAS decision exposing a doping violation.
Sinitsyna emphasized the murkiness of the recalculations, noting that there is still no clear resolution. She asked herself whether she truly feels like a bronze medalist, acknowledging that multiple skaters share that podium position. Yet she also expressed a desire to stand with Valieva, maintaining a respectful stance toward Valieva and suggesting that there is no personal animosity between them as colleagues on the ice.
On January 29, the Court of Arbitration for Sport delivered a ruling that found Valieva guilty of a doping infraction and ordered a four-year ban. This sanction prevents her from competing in official events through December 2025, reshaping the narrative around the championships and the season as a whole.
CAS later published its reasoning on February 7, outlining the evidence and interpretations behind the decision. The Russian side argued that the banned substance entered Valieva’s system as a result of dessert prepared by her grandfather, a claim that added a human-interest angle to a highly technical case. As a consequence of the ruling, Valieva was stripped of the gold medals she had earned at the Russian Championship and the European Championship. In the Beijing Winter Olympics, Valieva had contributed to a gold medal for the Russian team, but after the disqualification, that Olympic gold was also withdrawn and the team was reassigned to bronze in the competition standings.
Fans had previously shown support for Valieva, with banners seen among the Spartakiad crowds. The evolving situation underscores the broader implications for athletes, teams, and national pride, as well as the delicate balance between fair play, public perception, and the pressures that accompany elite sport. The developments also invite a broader discussion about how teams and federations address awarding medals when the results are later altered by official sanctions and how athletes navigate the emotional terrain of a podium that can change after the fact. The case continues to resonate across the sport and among observers who follow the sport closely, shaping conversations about ethics, accountability, and the integrity of competition, even as rivals and teammates reflect on moments of victory and disappointment in equal measure. [Source: CAS decision and official statements, with coverage by Sports Express and related sports authorities]