Stated by the president of the Russian Olympic Committee, Stanislav Pozdnyakov, there is skepticism about a fair ruling in the doping case involving Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva. He told RIA News that the sports justice system is currently undergoing negative shifts, and from his perspective, reliability in the fairness of sports arbitration has diminished.
The Valieva controversy erupted during the 2022 Winter Games after a test from December 2021 indicated the presence of a prohibited substance. The Russian federation faced pressure to disqualify the skater from the competition. In a highly scrutinized move, a day before the women’s individual event began, Valieva was cleared to compete in the tournament.
Valieva did not secure a medal in the individual event, yet she helped her team achieve first place in the team competition. Should the ruling favor a positive outcome against Valieva, the Russian team could be stripped of the team event medal. The case is currently under review by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Earlier, Bestemyanova offered praise for Valieva’s new programs, underscoring the athlete’s continuing appeal even amid ongoing controversy.