'Doping Scandal' Most of Coach Valieva's Trainees Leave the Ice Before Turning 20

Coach Eteri Tutberidze advising Kamila Valieva. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] It is expected that the doping violation investigation of Kamila Valieva, a figure skater representing the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) who competed in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics despite testing positive for banned substances, could take several years.

According to AFP on the 18th (local time), the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) is set to begin an in-depth investigation soon regarding Valieva's violation of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) doping regulations.

The investigation is led by RUSADA because trimetazidine, a banned substance, was detected in Valieva's doping sample submitted during the Russian Championships held in Saint Petersburg, Russia, on December 25 last year.

If WADA and the International Skating Union (ISU) do not trust RUSADA's investigation results, they may appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). If a fair ruling is not reached there, the case will proceed to the Swiss Federal Tribunal.

David Parrott, an anti-doping expert and law professor at the University of Sherbrooke in Canada, told AFP in an interview, "If this case reaches the Swiss Federal Tribunal, it could take years for the investigation and ruling to be completed."

Meanwhile, experts believe it is highly unlikely that the minor Valieva took the banned substances on her own and emphasize the importance of identifying the behind-the-scenes forces that encouraged this. In particular, Valieva's coach Eteri Tutberidze is being cited as a major figure behind this doping scandal.

Kamila Valieva of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC), who was involved in the 'doping scandal,' competed in the women's singles short program figure skating event at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics held at the Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, China, on the afternoon of the 15th. After performing to Kirill Richter's "In Memoriam," she shed tears. Photo by Yonhap News.

Tutberidze is the coach who trained all three ROC athletes who competed in this Beijing Olympics. She previously produced gold medalists such as Yulia Lipnitskaya, who won the team event at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, Alina Zagitova, the women's singles gold medalist at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, and silver medalist Evgenia Medvedeva, but has been controversial for her harsh coaching methods.

Most of Tutberidze's students left the ice rink before turning 20. She delayed secondary sexual characteristics by feeding them only powdered food and administering Lupron to delay puberty.

Three years ago, in an interview with Russian media, Tutberidze stated that when meldonium, an angina treatment drug given to athletes for fatigue recovery, was designated as a banned substance, she would "find another drug that can produce a similar effect."

The way Tutberidze trained her athletes on the ice was shocking. She routinely shouted and often grabbed and spun the athletes by their hair.

Kamila Valieva of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC), who was involved in the 'doping scandal,' competed in the women's singles free skating at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics held at the Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, China, on the afternoon of the 17th. After finishing her performance, she left the rink in tears. Photo by Yonhap News.

During this Olympics, Tutberidze's cold attitude toward Valieva sparked controversy. On the 17th, after Valieva made repeated mistakes and left the ice in tears during the women's singles free skating event at the Beijing Olympics, Tutberidze scolded her, asking, "Why did you just give up?"

This scene was broadcast worldwide, and Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), said, "I am horrified by Tutberidze's ruthlessness."