Moscow: Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva is set to resume her competitive career after serving a four-year ban imposed for failing a drug test. The now 18-year-old athlete expressed her determination to compete again, noting that she will still be young enough to return when her ban concludes at the end of 2025.
“Of course, I am thinking about this. It is not the end. My last appearance at the Russian championship was not my best. And it is probably stupid to abandon a sports career at my age,” Valieva stated to Russian news agencies.
Valieva shared that she is “gradually coming into form,” focusing on regaining her confidence in executing key elements from her previous routines, including the triple toe loop and double Axel. She added, “With greater confidence, I will bring in more difficult content as I won’t be in competition for more or less a year and a half.”
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Earlier this year, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) imposed the four-year ban on Valieva, retroactive to the date of her positive test for the banned substance trimetazidine. This substance is known for preventing angina attacks and was detected during the Russian national championships in December 2021. The repercussions of her suspension led to the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) being stripped of the gold medal in the team event at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games, nearly two years after the competition.
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Valieva’s representatives have argued that the positive test may have stemmed from a mix-up involving her grandfather’s heart medication. The Kremlin has characterized the ruling as politically motivated.
