BEIJING — And finally, after the worst week of her life culminated in the worst performance of her life, after she became the face of a problem she did not cause, after an eye chart’s worth of international organizations took her to court, after every adult around her failed her, the child listened, weeping, as her coach yelled at her.
“Why did you let it go?” Eteri Tutberidze demanded. “Explain it to me—why? Why did you stop fighting? You let it go after that axel. Why?”
Kamila Valieva did not answer.
