The Swiss Supreme Court’s rejection of Kamila Valieva’s appeal from the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s ruling was anticipated by many observers and did not come as a surprise to audiences tracking the case in North America and beyond the sports world.
Alexander Enbert, a silver medalist in the team event at the 2018 Olympic Games, spoke to socialbites.ca about the broader implications. He noted that the outcome seemed unlikely to change the wider dynamic facing Russian athletes and suggested that recent decisions have not sparked optimism. “Probably no one expected anything to change. There is a broader pattern of limited acceptance of Russian competitors, and recent decisions have not sparked optimism. Valieva’s case has followed a sequence of negative judgments for Russian athletes. Everyone hopes for a shift that would allow athletes to compete in all major events, but expectations remain cautious”, Enbert said.
On October 2, 2024, it was confirmed that the objection was not sustained. Valieva is required to pay court costs of 7,000 Swiss francs, and she must also compensate 8,000 Swiss francs to both the International Skating Union and the World Anti-Doping Agency to cover expenses.
Earlier, on January 29, 2024, the Court of Arbitration for Sport found Valieva guilty of doping and disqualified her from competition. She remains barred from events until December 2025 and is not allowed to train at official skating facilities during the suspension.
On February 7, 2024, CAS published its reasoning in the Valieva case. In addition to the banned trimetazidine, three other substances were detected in the skater’s blood. The report also notes the presence of more than 50 supplements containing ecdysterone, hypoxene, and L-carnitine.
Former Russian parliamentarian Zhurova described Valieva as having been ruined as an athlete, reflecting concerns among supporters and critics about the toll such cases take on competitors and national sports programs.