Sawt Falasteen - WADA to appeal to CAS over figure skater Valieva's doping case: statement

WADA disagreed with the decision by the disciplinary committee of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) to exonerate her over the positive test in December 2021 which only came out during last year's Winter Olympics.

WADA had said it was "concerned" when she was cleared in January.

The Russian tribunal found that, although the athlete had committed an anti-doping rule violation, she had committed "no fault or negligence".

The only sanction imposed was the cancellation of Valieva's results on the date the sample was taken December 25, 2021.

"Further to its statement of 13 January 2023, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has carefully reviewed the full reasoned decision and file related to the case of Russian Olympic Committee figure skater, Kamila Valieva," read the statement.

"Accordingly, WADA considers the finding by the disciplinary tribunal of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency that the athlete bore 'no fault or negligence' to be wrong under the terms of the World Anti-Doping Code in this case and has exercised its right to lodge an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

"WADA is seeking a four-year period of ineligibility and disqualification of all the athlete's results from the date of the sample collection on 25 December 2021."

At the Winter Games last February, Valieva, then 15, became the first female skater to land a quadruple jump in Olympic competition, helping the Russian team secure gold in the team event.

It later emerged the 2022 European champion had tested positive before the Games for trimetazidine, a drug used to treat angina but which is banned for athletes because it can boost endurance.

The urine sample was taken from Valieva at the 2021 Russian National Figure Skating Championships.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) allowed her to compete in the individual final in Beijing citing her young age but her tearful meltdown on the ice became the biggest story of the Games.

Y.AlMasri--SF-PST