WADA used Tutberidze’s words in an interview with Posner to prove Valieva’s guilt

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) echoed the coach’s comments Eteri Tutberidze of an interview with Vladimir Pozner to prove the guilt of figure skater Kamila Valieva, arises from the release of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Previously, the CAS disqualified the skater for four years for violating anti-doping rules. The 17-year-old Russian’s suspension period begins on December 25, 2021, and her results have been canceled since that date. The athlete’s sample contained banned trimetazidine.

— In a 2019 interview, Tutberidze confirmed that meldonium was given to Russian athletes to improve recovery and heart muscle support, and after WADA banned it in 2016, “they had to look for something again”. Trimetazidine and meldonium have similar properties, the reasoning for the CAS decision indicates.

The CAS decision led to a review of the results of the team figure skating tournament at the 2022 Olympics, where the Russian team won. First place is now awarded to the American team, the Japanese are second and the Russians will receive bronze. Valieva is also deprived of gold at the 2022 European Championship.