The CAS explained why the Stockholm laboratory delayed the control procedure of Valieva’s doping sample

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has published data from the Stockholm laboratory which studied the Russian figure skater’s anti-doping test. Kamila Valieva according to a CAS press release.

Previously, the CAS disqualified Valieva for four years for violating anti-doping rules and canceled her competition results from December 25, 2021.

— On December 29, 2021, the sample was delivered by courier to the Stockholm laboratory. Both samples A and B were assigned the appropriate laboratory code. Sample A was opened and aliquoted.

On December 30, 2021, the Stockholm laboratory began initial testing and testing of an aliquot of Sample A. The laboratory was closed for the period from December 30, 2021 to January 10, 2022 inclusive. On January 11, 2022, the laboratory recorded that sample A tested positive for the drug trimetazidine, the report said.

The laboratory then took an aliquot, number 202107432A-7, of Sample A to begin the drug test confirmation process, the report states. On January 17, the procedure was rejected due to “unsatisfactory quality control results.” The same thing happened with aliquots 202107432A‑8 and 202107432A‑9. Thus, on January 20, the Stockholm laboratory decided to “develop a new analytical method for the confirmation procedure”. The corresponding document was prepared between January 31 and February 3.

Already on February 4, another aliquot was taken from sample A, designated 202107432A‑10. On January 7, the Stockholm laboratory concluded that the previously proposed verification method was “fit for purpose” and completed the confirmation procedure on the same day, recording the result in

LIMS and provided a report to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

On February 8, in response to a request, the laboratory informed RUSADA that the concentration of the prohibited substance was approximately 2.1 ng/ml (i.e. 0.0021 mg/l).

Valieva passed a positive doping test on the day of the free program at the Russian Championship. The athlete was accused of violating anti-doping rules in February, while competing in the Olympics.