“As athletes, we cannot influence the situation that happens outside the rink” – Valieva

Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva commented on the suspension of Russian athletes from international tournaments.

Russian athletes have been suspended from competitions under the auspices of the International Skating Union (ISU) due to the situation in Ukraine.

“We understand that last year we performed everywhere under the Russian flag and heard the anthem of the Russian Federation from the podium. But at the same time, in the Olympics, we competed under neutrality. And quite mixed feelings, which… most likely, I find difficult to answer.

It’s a shame, but as athletes we cannot influence the situation that happens outside the ice rink,” the figure skater said in an interview with Japanese TV channel NHK.

At the end of January, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) suspended Valieva for four years for violating anti-doping rules. Trimetazidine was detected in the athlete’s doping sample taken during the Russian Championships in December 2021. The 17-year-old Russian’s suspension period begins on December 25, 2021, and her results have been canceled since that date .