The Olympic medals for team figure skating are delayed, raising three big questions

[Jilly_in_VA]

The Olympic team figure skating event ended Monday — but the medals haven't yet been given out because of what officials describe as a legal issue. The ceremony was planned for Tuesday night, but it didn't happen. There are reports, which have not been confirmed by NPR, that a failed drug test is involved.

The U.S. won silver and Japan won bronze in the competition. The Russian Olympic Committee team won gold in a performance that made history, as teenager Kamila Valieva landed two quadruple jumps.

But two days later, none of the skaters have received their medals. Providing only the barest of details, Olympic officials say they've been consulting with the International Skating Union.

As of Wednesday, a number of questions remain open:

Who failed the test? A report from the Inside the Games site suggests that Valieva is the athlete who allegedly tested positive. If that is true, her age — 15 — could further complicate how the case is handled due to privacy issues.

https://www.npr.org/2022/02/09/1079512063/olympics-figure-skating-medals-russia-kamila-valieva

[OneBlueDotS-Carolina]

1. Deeper dive into the PED skating issue

Russia doping at the Olympics? History may be repeating itself at the Beijing Games

Except they aren’t. Russia won gold in team figure skating Tuesday, but medals were not awarded Tuesday night. Insidethegames.biz, an Olympic-focused publication, reported the delay was rooted in an issue between Russian athletes and international anti-doping authorities. USA Today reported it was a positive test. Insidethegames broke it open: It was a positive test for 15-year-old figure skating phenom Kamila Valieva from before the Games.

Which would fit the facts of what has been disclosed, and what has not. The WADA Code states an under-18 athlete does not need to be identified. After that, the case is not entirely clear: When was the test, what was the specific result, and is the IOC-controlled Court of Arbitration for Sport limbering up to split the medal in half?

It would be a bombshell, if not quite a shock. Russia is competing as the Russian Olympic Committee for the second straight Winter Games, after competing as the Olympic Athletes from Russia in Pyeongchang, because Russia ran a sprawling international doping scam for several years before being caught and was let off with a change of clothes. Russia? Doping? At the Olympics? Why next you’ll be telling me that the Norwegians enjoy cross-country skiing, or wear pants.

But a 15-year-old? Even a brilliant 15-year-old skater who landed the first women’s quad in Olympic history already? Could her age be used to question whether she took a PED intentionally? Who was around her who could also be held responsible? The WADA Code specifies a provision for no fault or negligence, and the possibility of a reduction or elimination of sanctions.

more...

https://www.thestar.com/sports/olympics/opinion/2022/02/09/russia-doping-at-the-olympics-history-may-be-repeating-itself-at-the-beijing-games.html

[MontanaMama]

2. Russia should never have been allowed to send athletes to these Olympics.

After their state sponsored doping in the last Olympics...the IOC lets them compete as the ROC? Putin shows up at the opening ceremonies which was a complete slap in the face to the rest of the world. The Russian Olympic Committee IS Russia for Pete's sake.

[Cuthbert Allgood]

5. 100% agree.

And if she is the one that tested positive, it is a pretty clear indication that they didn't learn their lesson by having to be the ROC.

[MontanaMama]

7. I'll bet she isn't the only one

that will test positive. There's no repercussions to them for doping if they can keep sending an Olympic team with a different name. If the IOC doesn't give Russia the boot, they've trashed the credibility of the organization. Hell, maybe that ship has sailed already.

[onecaliberal]

3. They're already not representing their country for doping and now they're still doping.

Boot them from the olympics until they figure out how to stop.

[C_U_L8R]

4. What? There's doping in the Russian locker room?

I'm shocked. Everybody out at once !

[Fiendish Thingy]

6. The Russians have been banned, and the ROC is a cynical manipulation of the rules

The only difference is when an ROC athlete wins gold, they don’t play the anthem.