“You should have lied better.” Olympic champion Rodnina spoke out about Valieva’s doping scandal and named the culprits

Three-time Olympic champion in figure skating, State Duma deputy Irina Rodnina expressed her opinion on the doping case of athlete Kamila Valieva. In her opinion, the Russian side is to blame for the current situation, writes Sport24.

“I don’t understand when they say that they specifically want to destroy Valieva. We need to wake up and understand that we have mistakes and mistakes. We should have learned to lie better about Valieva,” Rodnina said.

In her opinion, no one will believe that “she (Valieva) accidentally drank the wrong glass.” The deputy noted that the Russian side itself is to blame for this matter.

“We gave unfriendly countries a chance to point out our mistakes. Now we just need to work so that this ends as soon as possible. Let’s work on ourselves, and not look at someone else and say that they also have doping,” concluded Irina Rodnina.

At the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing, Kamila Valieva won gold in the team competition, but the Russian team was not awarded due to a doping scandal involving her. Traces of the banned drug trimetazidine were found in the skater’s sample from December 2021. At the same time, CAS allowed her to participate in the individual tournament, where she took fourth place.

In January, RUSADA acquitted Valieva

In January of this year, the disciplinary committee of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA), which is a body independent from the main organization, informed the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) of the innocence of the athlete Valieva.

However, the skater was deprived of gold at the 2022 Russian Championship. Later, the International Skating Union and WADA filed appeals with CAS, which called for the athlete to be disqualified and her results annulled.

At the end of 2022, WADA also expressed concern about the delay in the Russian woman’s case and the postponement of hearings to RUSADA, after which it transferred the case to CAS. The agency called for Valieva to be disqualified for four years from the date of the decision, her results to be annulled starting December 25, 2021, and all medals to be stripped.

In September of this year, a special commission of the Court of Arbitration for Sport refused to allow US representatives to attend a hearing in the case of the Russian figure skater. It was also noted that neither party requested a public hearing.

New hearings by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in the figure skater’s case will be held on November 9 and 10.

Kamila Valieva spoke about the reaction of athletes to the doping situation

The athlete Valieva herself spoke in April of this year about the reaction of athletes to the doping situation at the 2022 Olympic Games. According to the skater, at that moment many looked at her strangely.

At first I was afraid to go to the gym where we worked out, but then I calmed down. But when you go out to practice and see that instead of several photographers, the entire arena is made of clicking cameras

Kamila ValievaRussian figure skater

In addition, the athlete emphasized that she was in great pain in the first six months after the scandal. According to her, for some time she did not know whether she would continue her career or not, but thanks to the support of her coaches, she found the strength to continue skating. The athlete added that she is ready to compete at the 2026 Olympics if the Russians are allowed to participate.

Tarasova pointed out the uniqueness of Valieva

The high-profile doping scandal involving Valieva was commented on by both athletes and politicians. For example, Honored Coach of the USSR Tatyana Tarasova pointed out the uniqueness of the Russian figure skater. In her opinion, Valieva “raised world figure skating to great heights.”

Tarasova supported the athlete and emphasized that Valieva has a unique talent.

Russian President Vladimir Putin also spoke about the current situation. He advised the 16-year-old athlete not to pay attention to criticism.

Is it true. You are a very young girl. At that age it’s hard to endure such a wave, such attacks

Vladimir PutinPresident of Russia

In addition, Honored Figure Skating Coach of the USSR Alexei Mishin harshly criticized the World Anti-Doping Agency. He called WADA an ineffective structure and said that it needs to be reformed.