Russian speed skater Ruslan Zakharov found Valieva guilty of doping
Olympic champion in short track speed skating and silver medalist of the Games in speed skating Ruslan Zakharov assessed the four-year disqualification of Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva. His words are quoted by Sports.ru.
The athlete considered his compatriot guilty and refused to see a conspiracy in the actions of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). “If a prohibited drug was found in your sample, what kind of conspiracy is there? The athlete has no presumption of innocence. On the contrary, if something happens, you must prove that you are not guilty,” Zakharov noted.
The Russian also noted the importance of a properly built defense. “Sometimes versions sound like science fiction, but it still works. That is, the court there is normal. I believe in it. There have been so many cases when decisions were made in favor of Russian athletes,” the speed skater added.
On January 29, CAS disqualified Valieva for four years. The period of suspension starts on December 25, 2021. According to the court, Valieva could not prove that she took doping unintentionally. The scandal surrounding Valieva unfolded at the 2022 Olympic Games. Traces of the banned drug trimetazidine were found in the skater’s sample from December 2021.
Source: Lenta
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