The end of the investigation, the appointment of the date of the hearing and USADA dissatisfaction: what is known about the development of the Valieva case

“There are chances that there was no violation”

The case of violation of anti-doping rules by Kamila Valieva is gradually moving towards its conclusion.

On Wednesday, RUSADA announced the end of the investigation.

However, in the United States, they were unexpectedly dissatisfied with this development of events and the lack of sanctions against the athlete.

Thus, the head of the American Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), Travis Tygart, suggested that sufficient evidence of the girl's guilt had been found.

“Given that the RUSADA investigation appears to have been completed, and the case is now being prepared for hearing, sufficient evidence of a violation has been found: otherwise, the case would have been closed, and WADA has been notified of its right to appeal,” he quotes USA Today functionary.

Moreover, he lamented that the US figure skaters, who finished second in the team tournament of the Beijing Olympic Games, have to wait too long for their awards if they are taken from the victorious Russians.

“Due to such a serious delay in the administration of justice since the Winter Olympics, other athletes are being deprived of their rights and the opportunity to receive a medal, and there is no end in sight to this in the near future,” Tygart added.

In turn, the Director General of the US National Olympic Committee, Sarah Hirshland, also expressed concern that all interested parties would have to wait a long time for the final verdict.

“The situation is still outrageous.

Yesterday we saw that RUSADA announced a disciplinary hearing.

That's all we know.

I don't have any details.

There may be hearings, then, of course, appeals are possible, so I’m afraid everything will drag on for some more time, ”said Hirshland.

Meanwhile, domestic fans can only be glad that things have finally moved off the ground.

RUSADA said that the hearings would begin in late September - early October.

They will be held in the disciplinary anti-doping committee.

“Investigation completed.

Currently, the results management department, in accordance with the established rules and procedures, is preparing the necessary documents for organizing hearings, ”said Veronika Loginova, head of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency.

She promised that the organization, considering all the circumstances, is going to rely on the current rules and international standards.

“I think this will end normally for all parties when we can confidently say that all the rules and requirements have been met.

Because for each case, for each specific condition, there are rules and standards that say what the sanction should be and whether it should be in principle, ”added Loginova.

She also assured that RUSADA is constantly in touch with colleagues from WADA in this situation, and the country strictly adheres to the plan of the higher organization for recovery.

However, with regard to forecasts on the final decision, at the moment even specialized lawyers find it difficult to make them.

For example, according to the former general director of RUSADA Anna Antseliovich, it can be anything from a complete justification to a ban on participation in any competition under the auspices of the International Skating Union (ISU).

“There are chances, firstly, that there was no violation, if it is proved that there were some errors, deviation from the standards that led to adverse test results.

Second, there could be no fault or negligence on the part of the athlete.

Then she is recognized as having violated the doping rule, but without a sanction.

The next option is minor fault or negligence: since she is a protected person, she has sanctions from a reprimand to two years.

And the fourth, the worst - if a deliberate reception is established, there will be standard sanctions, like all adult athletes - four years, ”the lawyer listed the options.

But she called the lengthy period of investigation of the case the norm, since the anti-doping agency does not cooperate with law enforcement agencies and does not have such powers.

“The investigation is a mandatory stage, since in this situation we are talking about a minor.

Moreover, not just about a minor, but about a protected person ... Such deadlines are actually standard ... Therefore, now the stage has ended, and they are already moving on to the legal one: processing the results and hearings, ”Anceliovich added.

"Hopefully politics won't get involved"

It is curious that the opinions of RT experts on this matter were divided.

For example, European champion Sergei Novitsky expressed surprise that the investigation dragged on for so long.

“It is difficult for me to judge this, but perhaps the IOC simply intends to drag out time in order to wait for the situation in the world to change.

And then it will make sense to give the medal to Valieva and her partners in the Russian team for the team tournament, or not to give it.

So far, there is no understanding on this issue.

I think that the International Olympic Committee does not want to succumb to the influence of politicians.

But I don't really understand why the process is taking so long.

It is clear that the state bureaucratic machine is extremely clumsy, but all deadlines have already passed,” Novitsky complained.

But the Olympic champion Natalya Bestemyanova, on the contrary, called it a common practice.

“Not one such case was not sorted out quickly.

Look at the terms of proceedings in other similar cases.

Some even lasted for years.

I hope that politics will not be involved in this matter.

Although no one can give such guarantees now, even the IOC itself,” said Bestemyanova.

At the same time, both agreed that what is happening is unlikely to have a strong negative impact on Valieva.

According to Novitsky, at the Beijing Olympics, she experienced a real horror, after which doping trials would not scare her.

“It seems to me that Camila in this regard must cope with the pressure.

What is happening now is in no way comparable to what she experienced between the short and free programs of the individual tournament at the Beijing Olympics.

Just remember what state she was in.

All proceedings in the IOC are flowers compared to this, ”added the European champion.

And Bestemyanova called the worst thing that happened to the athlete - the loss of the Olympic gold medal.

“Now it can't get any worse.

I am sure that Valieva has long adapted to what is happening around her and is calmly training, preparing for domestic Russian competitions.

In any case, she will not be able to leave for international tournaments in the near future.

I think for her the worst is over, ”summed up the Olympic champion.