Japan Press Weekly

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2022 February 16 - 22 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

Permission for doping positive skater to participate in Beijing Winter Games makes black mark on Olympic history

In the case regarding star Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva’s positive doping test result, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on February 14 announced its decision to allow her to keep competing at the 2022 Winter Olympics as a member of the Russian Olympic Committee delegation.

This is unprecedented. The participation of a doping scandal-hit athlete in the Olympic Games will not only arouse doubts about the fairness of the competitions but also make a black mark on the Olympics.

The CAS explained that as the Russian skater is 15 years old, it applied to her the World Anti-Doping Code stating that those who are under 16 years should be “protected”. This, however, may create a bad precedent that an athlete aged under 16 can participate in the Olympic Games even if he/she tests positive for a banned drug.

Valieva’s case has left many questions unanswered such as these: “Why did her doping test results not arrive within a predetermined period of time after the test was conducted in late December last year?” and “When and how did she get the banned drugs into her body?” The need now is to fully disclose the facts behind the case.

In the background lies the International Olympic Committee’s failure to take a firm stance against Russia for its stance to cover up systematic cheating in sports. The IOC should recognize its responsibility for the consequences of its failure.