Vladimir Putin has defended figure skating star Kamila Valieva two months on from her doping case at the 2022 Winter Olympics, as well as slamming recent sport bans on Russian athletes. Valieva was part of the Russian team that won gold in the figure skating event at the Games, however her ongoing case has meant they are yet to be presented with their medals.
The Russian teenager’s positive case came to light during the Winter Olympics in February, however the Court of Arbitration for Sport allowed her to continue to compete with the investigation ongoing. Despite her team success, the scandal clearly affected her in the individual event after struggling in her final routine.
In a televised ceremony, president Putin presented Valieva with a state award following her success in Beijing, with the 16-year-old revealing it was a ‘big honour’.
During the presentation the nation’s leader paid tribute to the figure skater, and strongly defended her. He said: “Through her work she raised the sport to the level of true art. It is impossible to achieve that kind of perfection dishonestly, with the help of some kind of extra substances or manipulations.”
Since Russia ’s invasion of neighbouring Ukraine at the end of February, a number of the nations’ biggest sport stars have felt the consequences of Putin’s decision with many Russian and Belarusian athletes being banned from competing. In football, Russian teams have been from FIFA and UEFA competition, whilst Formula 1 star Nikita Mazepin was sacked by his Haas team.
More recently it was announced that both Russian and Belarusian players were banned from competing at this year’s Wimbledon, affecting the likes of Daniil Medvedev and Aryna Sabalenka. Addressing the issue, Putin described the bans as ‘discrimination based on nationality’.
In response the 69-year-old leader called for his country to set up its own competitions to ‘make sure international athletes, teams and clubs’ can continue to compete. Putin commented: “As far as projects cancelled in Russia by the international sporting governing bodies, god be the judge.
“But in that regard, the cancelled competitions with our own new formats and we can get it done fast. Open and all-round attractive multiple-step athletic tournaments, make sure international athletes, teams and clubs take part.”
