Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva , who is at the center of the controversy over doping controls at Beijing 2022, received support from the Kremlin in Moscow, but Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to confirm the findings. information about a positive in the Russian figure skating team.

“[Reports] were shot up among those who did not have verified information,” Peskov said. “As usual, not knowing the details, everyone started screaming from the rooftops. We will not join this orderly line of screamers.”

It remains unclear when the positive was given, but Russian newspaper RBC Sport reported on Wednesday that the botched doping test was carried out in December and only came to light during the Winter Olympics.

The controversy continued to delay the medal ceremony of the team figure skating event, which was won by the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC).

“The only primary source of information should be the IOC,” added Peskov.

“You have heard the IOC statements, it makes no sense for us to add anything here. We are guided by the IOC and wish our athletes, including Valieva, only gold medals.”

Multiple sources told GLM Sports analyst Christine Brennan that the ROC team figure skating athlete who has tested positive for a banned substance is a minor.

GLM confirmed that 15-year-old Kamila Valieva is the only minor in the six-person team representing the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC).

The figure skaters have yet to receive their medals at the team event in Beijing 2022 . The medal ceremony was scheduled for Tuesday night local time but was removed from the list of events.

The ROC team won the gold medal , followed by the United States who took silver. The bronze went to Japan and Canada placed fourth.

It is unclear if any action will be taken or if the athlete will be allowed to continue competing at the Games, given her age.

The positive test of the ROC skater

It is unclear exactly when the positive test was taken.

Russian newspaper RBC Sport reported that a sample taken in December from one of the six members of the Russian team tested positive for trimetazidine, according to a source familiar with the situation and a source in the Russian Figure Skating Federation.

Trimetazidine is a medication used to treat people with a heart condition known as angina. He is on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) banned list.

“In a doping sample taken… in December, no drugs were found. We are talking about trimetazidine, in minimal proportions,” a source said, reported RBC Sport.

While the IOC has not named any athletes in connection with the case, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova posted a video on Twitter on Thursday expressing her support for Valieva.

“Miracles can be just in front of us, and what Kamila Valieva did is a true miracle. I can explain why this is a miracle. It is a miracle because after completing her program she won the hearts of the whole world,” he said. Zakharov.

“This is phenomenal. We see again, before our eyes, this clash of good and evil and the desire of evil to make the quantity of good as small as possible, so that good loses its power.”

Valieva made history Monday by becoming the first woman to land a quad at the Olympics. She then won the free skate event and helped her team win gold. On Thursday, Valieva was seen practicing on the ice in a scheduled practice session.

GLM has reached out to the IOC, the ROC and the International Testing Agency for comment, but has not yet received a response.

What did the IOC say about the ROC case?

International Olympic Committee (IOC) spokesman Mark Adams said on Thursday he would not comment on “speculation” about the case and could not answer whether the medal ceremony would take place.

“At the moment, it’s speculation … We have to wait patiently for this case to come to some kind of conclusion,” Adams said.

Adams reiterated his comments from Wednesday that an “emerging issue” arose at short notice that required “legal consultations with the International Skating Union.”

“There is a legal problem, I can’t say anything more than that,” he said Thursday.

Team USA told GLM in a statement that “we don’t have all the details” on why the medal ceremony was postponed.

“But in situations like this, it’s about more than gold. It’s about the integrity of fair sport and accountability,” said Kate Harman, a spokeswoman for the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC). The US team won silver in the team figure skating event.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he was waiting for more details before commenting on the ROC skater.

“Until now we have not heard the official statements, let’s continue to judge by the official statements. Until now, these are only sources in the media. Let’s wait for clarifications from our sports officials or the IOC,” Peskov said.

The Russian Federation’s Sports Ministry also said it was premature to comment on the postponement of the award ceremony, according to Russian sports channel Match-TV.

“The position of the Russian Federation is to consistently and consistently oppose all kinds of violations of sports rules and Olympic ethics,” the ministry said, according to Match TV, of the ROC skater’s case.

What is the ROC?

Russian athletes cannot compete in the Olympics under their country’s name or flag due to IOC and WADA sanctions for non-cooperation with anti-doping rules.

However, athletes who can prove they are free of performance-enhancing drugs are allowed to compete under the banner of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) .

Russia is technically banned from competing in all international sporting events until December 2022 after it was found to have run a state-sponsored doping program. This ban covers both the 2022 Winter Games and the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

WADA’s compliance review committee suggested sanctions in 2019 because the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) did not fully cooperate during investigations into the country’s sports.

Before the Beijing Games, the anti-doping agency made it clear that while Russia is now following anti-doping rules, it should not assume that sanctions will automatically be lifted when the country’s suspension ends.

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