The last musical notes of her program barely flown, Valieva could not hold back a few sobs.

Like when she joined her trainer, the stern and inscrutable Eteri Tutberidze, at the edge of the track to find out her score.

Like, too, when she crossed the press area without stopping, a few moments later.

She then did not appear at a press conference.

Russian Kamila Valieva, in tears after her short program at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, on February 15, 2022 at the Capital Indoor Stadium Anne-Christine POUJOULAT AFP

"Valieva did not come to the press conference after the short program because she was not feeling well. We decided to send her as soon as possible to the Olympic Village," said the Committee's spokesperson. Russian Olympic Games, Konstantin Vybornov, quoted by the official TASS news agency.

Already the day before, the skater had confided, in tears, to Russian television that she was "emotionally tired".

With 82.16 points, the 15-year-old Russian teenager, previously undefeated in her first senior winter and arriving in Beijing as a big favorite for Olympic gold, took the lead in the competition before the free skate. scheduled for Thursday evening.

She is ahead of another Russian, Anna Shcherbakova, reigning world champion and also out of the Moscow champion factory of Tutberidze, but by less than two points (80.20 pts), and the Japanese Kaori Sakamoto (79.84 ).

Russian Kamila Valieva, during her short program for the Beijing 2022 Olympics, on February 15, 2022 at the Capital Indoor Stadium Anne-Christine POUJOULAT AFP

Support from Medvedeva

This is for Valieva its lowest score of the season in international competition.

Far from her world record signed at the European Championships a month ago (90.45), and which she had come close to during the team competition (90.18) at the start of the Beijing Games.

Russian Kamila Valieva, during her short program for the Beijing 2022 Olympics, on February 15, 2022 at the Capital Indoor Stadium Anne-Christine POUJOULAT AFP

Purple dress and brown hair held back in a bun, Valieva had a very delicate landing on her first jump, a triple Axel.

Later in his performance, the reception of his jumpsuit was also approximate.

In the stands, Evgenia Medvedeva, outgoing Olympic vice-champion who also went through the Tutberidze school, and became a consultant for Russian TV, waved a banner with others to support Russian skaters.

Honorary President of the Russian Olympic Committee Alexander Zhukov, as well as Russian hockey legend and Duma deputy Vyacheslav Fetissov, praised Valieva's "strong character", in remarks reported by the TASS agency.

Asked about the Valieva affair, in particular about the possibility of a competition distorted by her presence, the other skaters generally remained very cautious, like Sakomoto at a press conference.

"It's obviously a difficult situation for everyone and it's unfortunate that it happens at the Olympics", regretted the American Mariah Bell, ten years older than Valieva.

"The Adult Product"

"I have a lot of empathy for her. I think she's not really the problem, she's the product of the adults around her, said Swiss Alexia Paganini. And anyway, she had to work hard."

Mute about her training partner, Shcherbakova, on the other hand, came to the defense of Tutberidze.

"I've been training with her since I was 9. If I don't change coaches, that means I like her."

Russian coach Eteri Tutberidze gives her final advice to Russian skater Kamila Valieva, before the start of her short program at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Games, on February 15, 2022 at the Capital Indoor Stadium Manan VATSYAYANA AFP

Already in training at the end of the afternoon, Valieva had fallen twice on her triple Axel attempts.

The young Russian has been in the eye of the storm since the formalization on Friday of her positive test for trimetazidine, a substance used to treat angina pectoris and banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) since 2014, because it would promote the blood circulation.

Controlled on December 25 during the Russian Championships in Saint Petersburg and provisionally suspended by the Russian anti-doping agency (Rusada) last Tuesday, the day of the notification of its positive result, Valieva had obtained the lifting of this sanction the following day.

The CAS confirmed this decision on Monday, rejecting the appeal made by the International Olympic Committee, WADA and the International Skating Federation (ISU).

Without however deciding on the merits of the case, which can take several months.

According to the American daily New York Times, Valieva had two other medicinal substances in her body that could be used to treat heart problems.

The newspaper, which obtained documents presented to CAS on Sunday, says the Stockholm lab that examined Valieva's sample also found traces of two other heart medications, hypoxen and L-Carnitine, which are not on the list of prohibited substances.

© 2022 AFP