Rusada rules Valieva not guilty of violating anti-doping rules; WADA not ruling out appeal

MOSCOW. Jan 13 (Interfax) - The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has expressed concern over a decision by the disciplinary committee of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) that the figure skater Kamila Valieva did not violate anti-doping rules, the WADA press service said in a statement.

"The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has been informed by the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) that its disciplinary tribunal has now rendered a decision in the case of Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) figure skater, Kamila Valieva. The tribunal found that although the athlete had committed an Anti-Doping Rule Violation, she bore "no fault or negligence" for it. As such, the tribunal imposed no sanction except for the disqualification of her results on the date of the sample collection (25 December 2021)," the statement said.

WADA has requested a copy of the fully motivated decision, which it will consider along with case materials so as to determine whether the decision conforms with the World Anti-Doping Code.

"Based on the elements of the case with which WADA is already familiar, the Agency is concerned by the finding of 'no fault or negligence' and will not hesitate to exercise its right of appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, as appropriate," the statement said.

Russian figure skaters won the team event at the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, but organizers delayed the medal ceremony after it became known that RUSADA received a positive result for Valieva's doping test and imposed a temporary suspension on the 16-year-old athlete. The suspension was subsequently contested.

The International Testing Agency said on February 11 that Valieva's sample, taken on December 25, 2021, contained traces of a banned substance. The CAS Ad Hoc Division heard Valieva's case on February 13. The following day, CAS cleared Valieva to compete in the women's single skating event at the Beijing Olympics.

RUSADA said the investigation would not be public due to the athlete's age.

Later, the WADA expressed its discontent at the pace of the Russian inquiry into Valieva. In November, it filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, having failed to receive a RUSADA decision in due course. WADA insists that that the figure skater be disqualified for four years and all her results beginning from December 25, 2021, be annulled.