Former Olympic figure skater Adam Rippon defended Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva after reports surfaced that she tested positive for banned substance in December.
“This entire situation is heartbreaking,” Rippon said on Twitter. “This young girl is just 15. She’s a minor. The adults around her have completely failed her. They’ve put her in this awful situation and should be punished.”
Valieva entered the Olympics as the favorite to take home gold in the women’s figure skating competition. After the Russian team came in first during the team portion, results of a drug test from December confirmed Valieva had a banned heart medication in her system.
