{"id":1523023,"date":"2024-02-28T03:41:36","date_gmt":"2024-02-28T03:41:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dissidentvoice.org\/?p=148484"},"modified":"2024-02-28T03:41:36","modified_gmt":"2024-02-28T03:41:36","slug":"how-the-west-robbed-and-abused-the-best-figure-skater-in-the-world-while-provoking-the-war-in-ukraine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2024\/02\/28\/how-the-west-robbed-and-abused-the-best-figure-skater-in-the-world-while-provoking-the-war-in-ukraine\/","title":{"rendered":"How the West Robbed and Abused the Best Figure Skater in the World While Provoking the War in Ukraine"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the winter of 2021-2, while figure skaters were competing in North America and Europe and preparing for the Beijing Winter Olympics, the tensions around Ukraine were building. NATO trained\u00a0 Ukrainian troops were intensifying attacks on the border of\u00a0 the breakaway Donetsk and Lugansk provinces of eastern Ukraine.\u00a0 Russia was building up its forces on the international border.\u00a0 In December 2021, Russia proposed treaties with the US and NATO, only to be brushed aside. Neocons running US foreign policy seemed to be intentionally provoking Russia. Perhaps they wanted Russia to invade Ukraine and saw that as a way to defeat Putin and breakup Russia, just as the Soviet Union had broken up? As Hillary Clinton said<\/a>, \u201cAfghanistan is the model\u201d.<\/p>\n

On February 7, three days into the Beijing Olympics and after the Russians had won the team skating event, news emerged that one of the Russian skaters had previously tested positive for a banned substance. It soon emerged that the skater in question was the brilliant young Kamila Valieva. The charges created one of the biggest international sport controversies of the past 50 years. A single positive test for a banned medication upended the 2022 Beijing Olympics and resulted in bitter accusations. Although the controversy started over two years ago,\u00a0 the decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) was only issued a few weeks ago in early February.<\/p>\n

The dispute over Valieva\u2019s doping test is a reflection of\u00a0 global political contention and the politicization of sports. In this article I will show how the CAS decision was biased and unfair. I will also show how western media has misreported the situation and how it is likely that US secret services intentionally created this situation to prevent Russian achievements at the Beijing Olympics and \u201cunbalance\u201d the adversary.<\/p>\n

Russia\u2019s expected medal sweep in figure skating was intentionally sabotaged. The victim was Kamila Valieva. The target was Russia. Disrupting the first winter Olympics in China was a bonus.<\/p>\n

What Happened<\/strong><\/p>\n

The key skating milestone are:<\/p>\n

30 October 2021 – In her debut as a senior, 15 year old Kamila Valieva wins first place at the Skate Canada International. Her performance leaves the audience and commentators in awe. Her urine sample is \u201cclean\u201d (no prohibited chemicals).<\/p>\n

27 November 2021 – Valieva wins the Rostelecom Cup (another event in the International Skating Union (ISU) Grand Prix). She posts the highest score ever recorded. Her urine sample is clean.<\/p>\n

25 December 2021 – Valieva wins the Russian national figure skating championship in St. Petersburg. Her urine sample is sent to a certified laboratory in Sweden.<\/p>\n

15 January 2022 – Valieva wins gold at the European Figure Skating Championship. Her urine test is clean.<\/p>\n

4 February 2022 – Olympic Games begin in Beijing China.<\/p>\n

6 February 2022 – Valieva performs skating short program flawlessly, earning first place.<\/p>\n

7 February 2022 – Valieva wows the audience in the free skate (long program), again winning first place. Urine sample is clean.<\/p>\n

7 February 2022 – Over a month late, Stockholm laboratory reports an \u201cAdverse Analytic Finding\u201d for Valieva\u2019s sample which they received 6 weeks earlier. They report the presence of a tiny amount of trimetazadine (TMZ) in Valieva\u2019s urine sample.<\/p>\n

8 -15 February 2022 – News of the positive doping test rapidly circulates and soon dominates the Olympics. Media and most western athletes assume Valieva\u2019s guilt and urge her removal from the Games. Because she is a 15 year old minor, the Court for Arbitration for Sport (CAS) decides that Valieva should be allowed to continue competing at the Beijing Olympics with the consequences of the positive test to be determined later.<\/p>\n

17 February 2022 – Under enormous pressure, Valieva falls apart in the free skate (long program). Team skating medal awards are postponed due to uncertainty whether Valieva will be disqualified. The US team which won\u00a02nd place is angry over the postponement of the medal ceremony.<\/p>\n

13 January 2023 – After a long delay, the Russian Anti Doping Agency (RUSADA) determines that Valieva bore \u201cno fault or negligence\u201d for the single positive test.<\/p>\n

21 February 2023 – World Anti Doping Agency (WADA)\u00a0 and International Skating Union (ISU), both western dominated organizations, appeal to Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to have Valieva banned and all her winnings after 25 Dec 2021 annulled.<\/p>\n

26 September 2023 – Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) begins the hearing regarding the Valieva positive test.<\/p>\n

7 February 2024 – CAS announces the decision<\/a> and reasoning. The panel rules that Valieva\u00a0 committed an Anti Doping Rule Violation (ADRV), is banned for four years and must forfeit all any titles, awards, medals, profits, prizes, and appearance money subsequent to 25 Dec 2021.<\/p>\n

The CAS Decision <\/strong><\/p>\n

Confirming that this was a judgment call, this was a 2-1 split decision. They explain the decision as follows: \u201cThe Athlete did not discharge her burden of proving \u2026that her ADRV was not intentional on the balance of probabilities.\u201d<\/p>\n

The panel said it was NOT proven Valieva intentionally ingested the banned substance.\u201cThe appellants have not established that the Athlete committed the ADRV intentionally \u2026. there was no evidence that she had acted intentionally.\u201d<\/p>\n

They also said \u201cThe Panel most certainly has not concluded that Ms. Valieva is a cheat or that she cheated on 25 December 2021 at the Russian National Championships or that she cheated\u00a0 when she won gold at the Beijing Olympics (or at any other time).\u201d<\/p>\n

The panel acknowledged that the punishment may be considered \u201charsh\u201d given that they did not establish that she committed the ADRV intentionally.\u00a0 That is certainly correct considering the punishment was the same as if she HAD cheated and the punishment is widely seen as confirming GUILT.<\/p>\n

Critique of the CAS Decision <\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>1.\u00a0 The panel was biased.\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

The panel was comprised of adjudicators from the US, UK and France. Valieva\u2019s legal team appointed French attorney Mathieu Maisonneuve. The appellants, World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) and Ice Skating Union (ISU), appointed American attorney Jeffrey Mishkin. The CAS Appeals Division appointed the president of the panel, James Drake. He is a citizen of the UK and Australia who studied and worked in the USA.<\/p>\n

CAS rules<\/a> say that the president of a panel should be selected considering the criteria of \u201cexpertise, diversity, equality and turnover of adjudicators\u201d. Drake was a poor choice for both equality and diversity.\u00a0 Two of\u00a0 the adjudicators have strong connections to the US which is hostile to Russia and whose figure skating team stood to benefit if Valieva was disqualified.<\/p>\n

James Drake was panel president in two previous cases involving Russian athletes, canoeist Alexandra Dupik<\/a> and track athlete Natalya Antyukh<\/a>. Both cases were decided against the appealing Russian athletes. With Drake as president, this had the appearance of a Kangaroo Court.<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0 The panel created a straw man to knock down.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The panel exaggerated the importance of the theory that Kamila accidentally imbibed\u00a0 TMZ\u00a0 through her contact with her \u201cgrandfather\u201d. Mr. Solovyov was called her grandfather but was actually the father of a previous partner of Kamila\u2019s mother. Since the mother was working, Mr. Solovyov acted as driver and guardian for Kamila who trained three hours in the morning, went home for lunch and rest, then trained three hours in the afternoon. Presumably Solovyov was being compensated for his help for the family. Solovyov was taking heart medication including TMZ due to previous heart attacks. After the surprise news that Valieva tested positive for the heart medication trimetazadine (TMZ), Kamila and her mother speculated that Kamila may have imbibed TMZ from drinking from the same glass or by consuming a strawberry dessert that grandfather made with a cutting board on which there were TMZ particles from his medication.\u00a0 Media and the panel poured skepticism on this theory, especially when the grandfather declined to provide basic information or verification. It appears the stress of the situation may have resulted in Solovyov – who had previous heart attacks – not wanting to be further involved. The appellants and panel pounced on this. In the panel\u2019s report there are 96 references to \u201cgrandfather\u201d, 75 references to \u201cdessert\u201d, 43 references to \u201cstrawberry\u201d, and 98 references to \u201cSolovyov\u201d. The panel effectively said they are skeptical of the \u201cgrandfather\u201d explanation and that is all there is.<\/p>\n

In contrast, Valieva\u2019s legal team put forward the \u201cgrandfather\u201d contact as one of three possibilities. Another theory was that some food or permitted supplement that Valieva consumed was contaminated with TMZ. This happened<\/a> to a Russian bobsledder at the 2018 Peyongchang Winter Olympics.<\/p>\n

The third theory was sabotage. This is the most likely cause of the positive doping test as I will show below.<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0 The panel minimized what was most important: Valieva had no motive to take a banned substance. <\/strong><\/p>\n

As shown at international events in October<\/a> and November<\/a> 2021, Kamila Valieva was at the peak of her profession. She was the best figure skater in the world. She was not only winning skate competitions, she was setting all time records.\u00a0 She was training\u00a0 6 hours per day under a very successful coach. She was well schooled in the dangers of anti doping violations. Since 2016 Russian athletes have been widely accused of being the worst violators of doping standards. Ugly<\/a> and unproven<\/a> accusations, such as from WADA\u2019s Richard McLaren, have been widely broadcast. When Russian athletes are exonerated,<\/a> it is ignored in the West.\u00a0 The probability that Kamila Valieva would risk her reputation and career to intentionally take a banned medication prior to an event where she will certainly be tested is near zero.<\/p>\n

Adding to the unreality of this case, the medication Trimetazadine (TMZ) is of no value to a figure skater. It is for people with heart troubles, not young athletes. When it has been used by athletes, it is for endurance sports where heart palpitations may occur. As heart specialist Dr. Benjamin Levine at University of Texas Southwestern Medical School said<\/a>, \u201cThe chance that trimetazadine would improve her performance, in my opinion, is zero\u2026 The only chance would be for it to hurt her.\u201d<\/p>\n

One of the\u00a0 side effects of TMZ is dizziness, the worst thing for a figure skater.\u00a0 The panel dismissed the significance by glibly saying, \u201cIt is enough to say that not all side effects manifest in all people.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr Levine noted that it is the legs, not the heart, that gets tired in figure skating. If one looks at Valieva\u2019s performances, it is clear she in fine shape and not even breathing hard at the end of the performance. The trace amount of TMZ detected once in her system would have no effect at all. Dr. Levine notes that the US equivalent of trimetazadine,\u00a0 ranolazine<\/a>, is NOT prohibited.<\/p>\n

The legal challenge for Kamila Valieva\u2019s team was to show that she did not intentionally take the banned substance. The CAS panel minimized the fact that Valieva had every reason and motive to NOT take a banned substance. Her dedication to the sport and talent is obvious. It should have been also obvious that this sole positive case for a trace amount of\u00a0 TMZ is odd and suspicious.<\/p>\n

4.\u00a0 The panel minimizes the problems and violations of the Swedish laboratory\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

According to International Standards for Laboratories<\/a>, \u00a0\u201cReporting of \u201cA\u201d Sample results should occur in ADAMS within twenty (20) days of receipt of the Sample. The reporting time required for specific occasions\u00a0 may be substantially less than twenty (20) days.\u201d<\/p>\n

So the laboratory in Sweden took TWICE as long as it should have under normal circumstances.\u00a0 But the circumstances were not normal. The European figure skating championship was in January and the Winter Olympics in February.<\/p>\n

Why was this failure ignored? Media has reported the delay was due to staffing shortages caused by Covid 19. However, the report describes a different reason for the extreme delay: there\u00a0 were two incidents of\u00a0 \u201cunsatisfactory quality control\u201d plus the need to find a \u201cnew confirmation method\u201d. A Swedish scientist and chemical analysis expert gave his confidential assessment: \u201cIt is obvious that they were not prepared for the task and had even to develop a new procedure.\u201d Despite the reporting failure and quality control issues at the Swedish laboratory, there was no criticism or comment by the panel or in the media.<\/p>\n

The report says there were \u201clengthy submissions in relation to the conduct of the Stockholm Laboratory in its analysis and reporting of the AAF\u201d but they do not say more.<\/p>\n

5.\u00a0 Valieva\u2019s legitimate medications and supplements were distorted. <\/strong><\/p>\n

WADA and ISU made much of the sixty medications and supplements that Valieva was authorized to take. Evidently this was a list of all the permissible medications that she COULD take if she or her doctor wished. As it was, she only took a few: There is nothing devious about these supplements. Many professional and amateur athletes use them. Here are the ones she was taking:<\/p>\n

\u201cCarnitine<\/a> is naturally present in many foods\u2014especially foods of animal origin\u2014and is available as a dietary supplement\u2026Carnitine plays a critical role in energy production.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHypoxen<\/a> provides a reduction in oxygen consumption with significant physical exertion, improved tissue respiration, a decrease in mental and physical fatigue, and the successful implementation of labor-intensive physical operations.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSupradyn<\/a> is a brand name for a multivitamin and mineral supplement.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEcdysterone<\/a> is the main compound in spinach extract.\u201d<\/p>\n

How and Why Kamila Valieva was Sabotaged<\/strong><\/p>\n

Since 2014, the US and western allies have imposed sanctions, waged information war and treated Russia as an enemy. The US does not hide its animosity and goal to weaken Russia.\u00a0 The\u00a0 2019 Rand Report titled Overextending and Unbalancing\u00a0 Russia<\/a> is an example. Commissioned by the US Defense Department, the report discusses tactics and strategies to \u201cweaken Russia\u201d.<\/p>\n

The report recommends, \u201cUndermining Russia\u2019s image \u2026<\/strong> diminishing Russian standing and influence \u2026Western efforts to damage Russia\u2019s international prestige can be effective if broadly implemented. Further sanctions, the removal of Russia from non-UN international forums, and boycotting of international events are largely within the power of Western states to unilaterally implement and would damage Russian prestige \u2026 the loss of international sporting events or access to key forums is likely to deepen concerns within Russia that the current regime might not be effectively pursuing policies that are returning Russia to glory.\u201d<\/p>\n

International sports, with the Olympics being paramount, is an important part of a nation’s image abroad and at home. With its goal of \u201cundermining Russia\u2019s image\u201d, the US establishment had a MOTIVE in preventing Russians from winning\u00a0 at\u00a0 the Olympics. Figure skating is one of the most widely watched Olympics events and a Russian sweep of the medals, with Valieva leading the way, would impress the viewing public and enhance Russia\u2019s image. It is impossible to look at Valieva skating<\/a> and not be impressed with her artistry and skill.<\/p>\n

At the end of October 2021, US secret services knew that Valieva was likely to win the figure skating gold.\u00a0 Commentators at Ice Skate Canada International made that clear<\/a>.\u00a0 That may be when the decision was taken to sabotage Valieva.\u00a0 All they had to do was insure she had one positive doping test. There are numerous ways they could have done this. They might have surveilled Kamila and her guardian grandfather for a couple weeks, learned when and where he went shopping, then sabotaged the fruit he purchased. Or perhaps they contaminated her lipstick or cosmetics with TMZ. Chemicals can enter the body through the skin. Her cosmetics are kept in a locked case, but how hard would it be for a trained CIA agent to unlock it? Cracking locks\u00a0 is standard training. This is clearly within their MEANS. What is more likely, they could have replaced a legitimate pill with a lookalike pill\u00a0 contaminated with TMZ. The CIA has their own chemical laboratory<\/a>.<\/p>\n

As to the OPPORTUNITY, the Russian National Championships were a good occasion with less athlete security as mentioned by Valieva in the hearing. Or perhaps the agents entered her house in Moscow or St Petersburg hotel room when she was not there. With a small team of trained people, this would not be difficult. Based on the very low amount of TMZ in her sample from 25 December 2021, the swap may have occurred in Moscow before she left.<\/p>\n

Was it incompetence or worse at the Stockholm Lab?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A remaining question is regarding the extraordinary delay in reporting the Adverse Analytic Finding (AAF) by the Swedish laboratory. Some experts have questioned why there is not a time limit. In this case, the finding was extremely late and test analysis involved multiple errors and a \u201cnew confirmation method\u201d. Why was this allowed?<\/p>\n

The late report was hugely disruptive to the Beijing Olympics. Instead of being sorry, the Biden administration may have been pleased. They had already criticized the Olympics and were carrying out a diplomatic boycott.<\/p>\n

Senate leader Nancy Pelosi tried to get world leaders to support a boycott with the accusation<\/a> that China was committing \u201cgenocide\u201d.\u00a0 Trying to derail the Olympics, another US official earlier suggested the Beijing Olympics should be \u201cpostponed\u201d.<\/p>\n

Mission Accomplished <\/strong><\/p>\n

The positive doping test for the Russian skater distracted from the other events at the Games, undercut the Russian figure skating team achievements, renewed allegations of excess doping in Russia and disrupted China\u2019s first winter Olympics. For the US foreign policy establishment, in a cold war with both China and Russia, this was a victory.<\/p>\n

From the comfort of studios and sidelines, jingoistic athletes and commentators derided Kamila, assumed she was guilty, and said she should not be competing. Pretending to \u201cdefend\u201d her, many critics accused Valieva\u2019s coaches and doctors of \u201cchild abuse\u201d. Like the athlete herself, Kamila\u2019s coach and doctors had no reason to encourage a banned substance. They had very reason and motive to NOT allow that.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) and some athletic federations have become part and parcel of\u00a0 Western\u00a0 hybrid warfare against \u201cadversaries\u201d Russia and China. WADA has expended enormous resources and efforts to ban top athletes from China<\/a> and Russia<\/a>. The International Skating Union\u00a0 \u201cwelcomed\u201d<\/a>\u00a0 the decision to ban 15 year old Kamila Valieva for four years. The top US men\u2019s figure skater, Nathan Chen, said\u00a0 that Valieva\u2019s banning was a \u201cwin for clean sport.\u201d On the contrary, it was a win for dirty politics, the politicization of sport and undermining the Olympic charter and its honorable ideals.<\/p>\n

The news had the desired effect of provoking hostility and Russophobia. It is a shame that so few announcers and athletes expressed any skepticism. They immediately assumed her guilt and condemned Valieva\u2019s coach Eteri Tutberidze and doctors. This was done with crocodile tears of concern for \u201cchild abuse\u201d.\u00a0 When Valieva faltered under the immense pressure, announcer Christine Brennan<\/a> fumed, \u201cYou could not help but see the results of the abuse of a child\u2026. This is one of the greatest talents we have ever seen \u2026 Shame on Russia. Shame on those coaches for putting her in this position.\u201d\u00a0 Patrick McEnroe opined, \u201cRussians – are you happy now? … An absolute disgrace.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kamila had no idea why she tested positive for the banned substance because she was secretly sabotaged. How could she prove that she did not intentionally ingest the banned substance?\u00a0\u00a0 Arbitrators Drake and Mishkin came to their decision because of national and political bias.<\/p>\n

Only a Temporary Win <\/strong><\/p>\n

On 8 February 2022, as Kamila\u2019s positive test was stealing the show in Beijing, US President Joe Biden was in Germany.\u00a0 With the tensions around Ukraine building, he threatened<\/a> that if Russia intervened in Ukraine, \u201cThere will no longer be a Nordstream pipeline \u2026. we will bring an end to it.\u201d Around the same time, the Ukraine military and Azov militias escalated<\/a> their attacks on the Donbas, perhaps preparing for a major attack. On 24 February Russia crossed the border and thus the Ukraine war began.\u00a0 Supporting the belief that the US and West intentionally provoked and prolonged the war hoping to \u201cweaken Russia\u201d, the US and UK effectively stopped<\/a> peace negotiations between Kiev and Moscow early in the conflict.<\/p>\n

The Ukraine war continues with horrendous loss of life. Russia seems to be slowly winning and the end is hopefully in sight.<\/p>\n

Kamila Valieva appears stronger than ever. She is no longer a girl, but a young woman skating in performances<\/a> with tons of support. She is honored in Russia as the Olympic champion she is.<\/p>\n

Provoking the Ukraine war and sabotaging the best figure skater in the world can at best be temporary victories for the US and western elites.<\/p>The post How the West Robbed and Abused the Best Figure Skater in the World While Provoking the War in Ukraine<\/a> first appeared on Dissident Voice<\/a>.\n

This post was originally published on Dissident Voice<\/a>. <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In the winter of 2021-2, while figure skaters were competing in North America and Europe and preparing for the Beijing Winter Olympics, the tensions around Ukraine were building. NATO trained\u00a0 Ukrainian troops were intensifying attacks on the border of\u00a0 the breakaway Donetsk and Lugansk provinces of eastern Ukraine.\u00a0 Russia was building up its forces on [\u2026]<\/p>\n

The post How the West Robbed and Abused the Best Figure Skater in the World While Provoking the War in Ukraine<\/a> first appeared on Dissident Voice<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":435,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[190,75160,75161,75162,5040,24,34959,7269,75163,376],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1523023"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/435"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1523023"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1523023\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1523562,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1523023\/revisions\/1523562"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1523023"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1523023"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1523023"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}