The event starts one day later. According to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, Valieva’s expedited hearing will take place in Beijing on Saturday night. A ruling is expected Monday afternoon.
After Saturday’s emotional practice session, the 15-year-old skater broke down in tears.
The closed-door hearing will be conducted via video link and lawyers for Valieva and the Russian Olympic team can ask the judges to hear a personal statement.
Matthieu Reeb, director general of CAS, stated at the court’s hotel base that “if she attends, I assume it will be via video conference.” It will be a long, tiring night. It could take four to five hours.
After being tested positive in Russia for trimetazidine, Valieva’s status as an Olympic athlete was uncertain. Five days before the test result became known, Valieva won the gold medal in team events and will compete as an individual Tuesday.
While doing a short program, Valieva fell on Saturday while practicing on a triple-axel jump — which Valieva is accustomed to performing without any problems — and she was unable to land the jump. After landing two combos, a triple flip triple toe loop, and a triple twist triple toe loop, Valieva skated to the boards, giving Eteri Tutberidze an emotional hug.
Saturday’s announcement by CAS confirms that it received appeals from the International Olympic Committee as well as the World Anti-Doping Agency, challenging Valieva’s right to compete.
After testing positive, the Russian Anti-Doping Agency issued an automatic ban. RUSADA lifted her provisional ban the next day. The IOC made an urgent appeal to RUSADA, which will be heard by the Court of Arbitration of Sport on Sunday.
Mark Adams, IOC spokesperson, said that “it was sending a message that we want to have this resolved as soon as possible.”
Because Valieva is a minor, the legal process can be quite complex. She has protections under the anti-doping rule.
Valieva, who is just 15, could receive a reprimand as her ultimate punishment. Because the World Anti-Doping Code requires that they be investigated, her entourage of coaches is subject to more scrutiny.
Valieva was positive for the test in a sample she received on December 25, during her victory at the Russian national championships.
This sample was provided by the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (known as RUSADA). It was sent to Stockholm, Sweden’s WADA-approved laboratory for analysis.
The Stockholm lab informed RUSADA that the test had been positive on Monday, hours after Valieva’s skate helped Russia win the Olympic team event.
The request to re-impose Valieva’s interim ban will be considered by the three CAS judges from Italy, Slovenia and the United States. Fabio Iudica, a Milan-based lawyer, will chair the meeting.
Jeffrey Benz, an American judge, was a former figure skater at the national level and is one of the most sought-after arbitrators in CAS cases. Vesna Bergant Racocevic is a judge at the high court in Ljubljana, Slovenia.
It will be decided whether the Russian team retains the gold medal in team events.
RUSADA will handle the complete investigation into the doping case. This could take several months. This could be appealed at CAS.
