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Washington may prosecute the Russians involved in the doping case of figure skater Kamila Valieva. According to Reuters, this was stated by the head of the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), Travis Tygart.
According to him, the corresponding “sanctions” can be introduced in accordance with the so-called “Rodchenkov Act”, RBC reports.
To clarify, a law passed at the end of 2020 allows the United States to fight doping around the world with the help of American courts, including the imposition of criminal sentences for violations at events in which American athletes participate. The document is named after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) informant Grigory Rodchenkov, who spoke about the large-scale use of doping in Russian sports.
Recall that a difficult situation has developed around the 15-year-old Valieva. On Friday, it was confirmed that the doping test of the figure skater, taken on December 25, 2021 (before the start of the Beijing Olympics) at the Russian Championships, which was held in St. Petersburg, tested positive for the banned cardiac drug trimetazidine.
“The result was reported by the WADA-accredited anti-doping laboratory in Stockholm on February 8th. After that, the athlete was conditionally suspended by the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA),” the International Testing Agency (ITA) said in a statement. However, Valieva protested the suspension, and on February 9, RUSADA decided to lift it.
Meanwhile, the International Olympic Committee has filed an appeal against the ruling with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). “A decision on the result of the Russian skaters in the team tournament can only be made after a final decision on the merits of the case has been made,” the ITA said in a statement.
Earlier at the Olympics, the awards ceremony for Russian figure skaters was postponed.
We add that the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) issued a special statement stating that while Valieva has the right to train and take part in competitions. Moreover, the ROC made it clear that in order to protect the rights and interests of the Russian figure skater, “qualified lawyers were involved in this case, who provide the athlete with all the necessary legal assistance,” and everything will be done to keep the won gold medal in figure skating for the Russian team.
Source: Rosbalt
Tristin is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his in-depth and engaging writing on sports. He currently works as a writer at 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the sports industry.
