Opinion: There is no protection for a so-called 'protected' athlete like Valieva
CNNFeb 15, 2022
Kamila Valieva, a favourite to win gold, has come fourth in the Olympic figure skating final, failing to secure a medal.
This comes after reports emerged during the games that the 15-yr-old had tested positive for trimetazidine, a heart medication, prior to the Winter olympics.
The whole situation is reprehensible. Russia has a well-documented history of cheating, and this is almost certainly no exception. But Valieva is a child, and she's been failed by the system. Her coach is openly depostic, and Russian sports -- where athletes are treated as dispensable -- are clearly corrupt; no wonder she bowed to the pressure. The IOC should've protected her.
Valieva was a victim in a drug-testing scandal. The positive test -- which was both preceded and followed by negative ones -- was most likely due to accidental contamination. The media glare and international attention that resulted from this would've been too much for anyone, let alone a child. The IOC's handling of the situation was entirely unfair, and detrimental to the whole sport.