“Valiyeva has the right to confidentiality, but was drawn into a media-political spiral” – head of the anti-doping department

David Pavo, head of the Anti-Doping Department in Sport opened by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) at the University of Sherbrooke, believes that the Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva has the right to confidentiality in anti-doping procedures, and international organizations should reconsider the admission of minor athletes to major competitions.

On Tuesday, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) began closed-door hearings on appeals from the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA), the International Skating Union (ISU) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). against the decision of RUSADA in the athlete’s case.

— The question is whether a minor athlete can be temporarily suspended from competition or whether there can be a longer disqualification provided for by the World Code. The question arises whether there is a flaw in the Code.

The social problem is deeper than just the case of the young Russian figure skater. We must pay attention to the problem of the participation of minor athletes in major competitions. These days, children find themselves embroiled in scandals that are completely unlike them.

We must not forget that Kamila Valieva was 15 years old at the time of the events and that she found herself drawn into a legal and media spiral much wider than her case. Too much about this case remains unexplained. For example, how long it took for the results of the doping tests to be known, and also how long it took for the young skater to be suspended from competition.

First of all, we must not forget that the 17-year-old girl is now involved in something bigger than herself. We must not forget that a minor athlete has the right to privacy, but here everything has become public. Behind it all is Russia’s fight for clean sport. Valieva fell into a media-political spiral that completely absorbed her, Pavo told Radio-Canada Sports.

Valieva at the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing helped the Russian team win gold in the team competition. Before the personal tournament, it became known that the banned drug trimetazidine was found during the doping test of the figure skater of the Russian championship. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) admitted the Russian to the individual competitions of the Games, where she took fourth place. However, the award of the winners of the team tournament has not yet taken place due to the investigation.

The closed CAS hearings on the Valieva case will take place on September 26, 27, 28 as well as September 29 (if necessary).