American Olympic figure skating champion Nathan Chen has said the apparent delays in the anti-doping investigation surrounding Russian teenager Kamila Valieva are “super annoying.” Chen is among those who could stand to win a gold medal, should Valieva be found guilty of a violation.
“That’s probably the hardest part, having no knowledge of the situation,” Chen told the AP of the investigation by the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) into Valieva’s case.
“We get updates and it’s always, ‘We have no idea what’s going on.’ That’s super annoying,” added Chen, 23, who won gold in the men’s individual event in Beijing.
Valieva, 16, returned a positive result for the banned heart drug trimetazidine from a sample taken in December, but which was only reported once the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics had got underway in February.
By that stage, Valieva had already helped Russia to the gold medal in the figure skating team event. The US team – including Chen – finished second while Japan claimed bronze and Canada ended in fourth place.
However, the medal ceremony for the event in Beijing was canceled after news of Valieva’s positive test emerged. Should Valieva be found guilty of a transgression, the Russian team would lose their gold medal.
RUSADA was tasked with investigating the case, and general director Veronika Loginova announced last month that proceedings would progress to a Disciplinary Anti-Doping Committee (DAC). Loginova stated that a hearing was expected in October, although there has since been no further announcement.
Valieva was initially cleared by an emergency hearing of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to continue to compete in Beijing after the news of her positive test. The CAS panel cited her status as a minor as well as the late notification of the results of the sample, which was tested at a laboratory in Stockholm accredited by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
Valieva and her coaching team have maintained their innocence, arguing at their CAS hearing that the positive result may have come via contamination from heart medicine her grandfather was taking. Russian officials also said Valieva had frequently passed other doping tests, and questioned the timing of the announcement of the positive result.
After starring in the team event in Beijing, Valieva finished a disappointing fourth in the women’s individual competition despite being the strong favorite for gold as her doping case ordeal took its toll.
Valieva and her fellow Russians have been banned by the International Skating Union (ISU) from all events in the upcoming season because of the conflict in Ukraine, but she will appear in a series of alternative Grand Prix competitions organized in her homeland.