Evgeni Malkin, a Russian forward with the NHL team the Pittsburgh Penguins, is married to Anna Kasterova. Through a Telegram channel, Kasterova addressed Kamila Valieva, the figure skater who faced doping-related disqualification, and urged her to stay confident in her own strengths.
Valieva, at just 15, was described by Kasterova as standing at the edge of enormous opportunity, with the world watching her every move. The message emphasized Valieva’s status as a star hailing from Russia, and it noted how she, despite the scrutiny and the heavy expectations placed upon a young athlete labelled as a protected person, found herself entangled in a high-stakes political and professional game played by adults. The post highlighted the impact of this pressure on Valieva and on the team that had worked so hard to secure success on the world stage.
The announcement by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) declared a ban of four years for the athlete, with the sanction set to begin from December 2021. The decision was publicly issued on January 29, marking a pivotal moment in the ongoing dialogue about doping controls, athlete welfare, and the responsibilities of those around young stars in competitive sports.
During the 2022 Olympic Games as part of Russia’s national team, Valieva helped her team secure first place in the team event and finished fourth in the individual competition. In light of the disqualification, the International Skating Union (ISU) later awarded the Russians third place in the team event, while the gold went to the United States and the silver to Japan, leaving the broader podium story intact and underscoring the complexities of adjudication in Olympic-level sport.
The 2022 Russian Championships saw a setback for coach Eteri Tutberidze, with Valieva’s team not claiming the gold that year. The European Championships also reflected the broader effects of the case, including a positive drug test result linked to a banned substance, which influenced outcomes and added to the controversy surrounding the athlete’s trajectory at that time.
There had been earlier statements from the United States challenging the idea that Russia should celebrate Olympic success in the wake of Valieva’s case, highlighting the broader debates about fairness, eligibility, and the integrity of competition on the world stage. As the story developed, it highlighted the intertwined roles of media, national programs, and the athletes themselves in shaping public perception during a time of intense scrutiny in international skating.