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Russian Skater Kamila Valieva Denied Neutral Status Again as International Ban Confirmed
Confirmed
In Short: Kamila Valieva, the 15-year-old Russian figure skater, has been denied neutral status for international competitions, following a revocation by the International Skating Union.
Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva, who won team gold at the 2022 Winter Olympics, has been denied permission to compete internationally once more, according to the International Skating Union (ISU).
The ISU initially granted Valieva neutral status for the 2026-27 season but that has now been refused, despite a Russian Anti-Doping Agency (Rusada) investigation concluding she bore 'no fault or negligence' for the violation.
The decision affects not only Valieva but also her team-mate Mark Kondratiuk and the ice dance team of Alexandra Stepanova and Ivan Bukin, all of whom had their neutral status revoked.
Valieva's ban backdates to when she tested positive in December 2021, and she is currently taking legal action regarding the procedure surrounding her doping ban.
What's confirmed
- According to ISU rules, neutral status can be refused if skaters serve in military or security forces, have joined military operations against Ukraine, or have "actively and publicly supported that war" since 2022.
- A document published on Monday by the European Court of Human Rights revealed that Valieva has brought a claim against Switzerland over a Swiss supreme court ruling from last year, when she attempted to overturn her suspension.
- The International Skating Union confirmed their decision on Valieva’s status on Thursday The International Skating Union confirmed their decision on Valieva’s status on Thursday Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva has been denied permission to compete internationally once more, following a second review after her neutral status was revoked.
- On Thursday, the International Skating Union confirmed that Valieva was one of four Russian 2022 Olympians deemed not to "satisfy the requirements to participate as Individual Neutral Athletes." The decision also applies to men's skater Mark Kondratiuk, as well as the ice dance team of Alexandra Stepanova and Ivan Bukin.
- This latest career obstacle arrives more than four years after controversy surrounding Valieva’s positive doping test overshadowed the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
- Valieva and her fellow skaters have three weeks to lodge an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
- Neither Valieva nor the Russian figure skating federation provided an immediate response or comment.
What's still developing
- Russian athletes have been barred from competing under their national flag since the country's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, although International Skating Union rules allow for Russians to compete as neutral athletes.
- A video featuring Russian president Vladimir Putin is pinned on Valieva's Instagram account.
- Valieva was 15 when she helped Russia win team gold in Beijing, becoming the first female skater to land a quadruple jump during the Olympics.
- He was in his usual leadoff spot for the series opener against the Cincinnati Reds.
- Even with Ohtani’s return as a hitter, it appears increasingly unlikely that the two-way superstar will pitch again this season.
- "We’ve put a pin in throwing," Roberts said, "and just having him focus on the hitting, the running, keeping his legs good and doing whatever it takes to help us win." Asked to define "put a pin in throwing," Roberts said "it’s not dead but we have no timetable for when he’s going to pick up a baseball." Why not just say Ohtani won't pitch again?
- Valieva has also starred in ice shows produced by Navka.
- The ISU is allowing more Russians to compete as neutral athletes this season, after most had been barred from its events following the invasion of Ukraine.