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Kamila Valieva.Catherine Ivill/Getty Images
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) didn’t suspend Valieva and allowed her to continue competing in the women’s short and free skate programs this week, though as punishment, if she were to place, there would not be a medal ceremony as her case continues to be reviewed.
However in her free skate program on Thursday morning, Valieva fell, landing just one of her three planned quads, and failed to medal.The emotional fallout was monumental.
02of 12Kamila Valieva.David Ramos/Getty ImagesValieva fell several times early in the free skate and again on her final quad, unusual for a skater who was in the lead after Tuesday’s women’s short program with a score of 82.16. Her final score was 141.93, giving her a combined total of 224.09.
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Kamila Valieva.David Ramos/Getty Images
Valieva fell several times early in the free skate and again on her final quad, unusual for a skater who was in the lead after Tuesday’s women’s short program with a score of 82.16. Her final score was 141.93, giving her a combined total of 224.09.
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Getty
She did soar high on her successful quad, though, and gave a program full of difficult elements set to composer Maurice Ravel’s piece “Boléro.”
Of the decision to let her keep competing, the CAS cited Valieva’s status as a “protected person” (a minor) in making the choice in accordance with the World Anti-Doping Code.
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“I can’t imagine how tough this has been on Kamila and it makes me angry that the adults around her weren’t able to make better decision and guide her and be there for her, because she’s the one now dealing with the consequences and she’s just 15 and that’s not fair,” former Olympic medalist and NBC commentator Tara Lipinskisaid during the event. “But again, that being said, she should not have been allowed to skate.”
05of 12GettyCoach Eteri Tutberidze (left) and choreographer Daniil Gleikhengauz comforted Valieva as she received her scores, though Weir — who speaks Russian — said Tutberidze was critiquing Valieva’s performance immediately as she stepped off the ice.“Here’s hoping there is someone to put their arms around that young woman and guide her,” commentator Terry Gannon said.
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Coach Eteri Tutberidze (left) and choreographer Daniil Gleikhengauz comforted Valieva as she received her scores, though Weir — who speaks Russian — said Tutberidze was critiquing Valieva’s performance immediately as she stepped off the ice.
“Here’s hoping there is someone to put their arms around that young woman and guide her,” commentator Terry Gannon said.
06of 12Despite her performance — and the implications behind it — Valieva received a standing ovation and plenty of “Kamila!” cheers from the crowd, which included other members of Team ROC.
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Despite her performance — and the implications behind it — Valieva received a standing ovation and plenty of “Kamila!” cheers from the crowd, which included other members of Team ROC.
07of 12Others reacted to her missed moves with shock and sadness.
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Others reacted to her missed moves with shock and sadness.
08of 12Off the ice, Valieva received a hug from a colleague as her teammate, silver medalist Alexandra Trusova, got visibly emotional in the background. “I can’t see this! I won’t see this!” is what she was saying, per Johnny Weir’s translation from Russian.
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Off the ice, Valieva received a hug from a colleague as her teammate, silver medalist Alexandra Trusova, got visibly emotional in the background. “I can’t see this! I won’t see this!” is what she was saying, per Johnny Weir’s translation from Russian.
09of 12Skater Anna Shcherbakova reacts to the women’s individual event at the Beijing Winter Olympics.Gold medalist, fellow Team ROC member Anna Shcherbakova, sat alone in stunned silence following the scoring and Valieva’s emotional exit from the rink.“I think everybody is trying to make sense of what they just saw,” said Gannon. Added Lipinski, “But this is why you don’t let something like this happen in the first place, because it affects everyone involved, not just Kamila.“Said Weir of Team ROC, “These girls are so close. These young women live their lives alongside one another and it’s hard not to be affected when you see that reaction and destruction of a young person at the end of their performance.”
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Skater Anna Shcherbakova reacts to the women’s individual event at the Beijing Winter Olympics.
Gold medalist, fellow Team ROC member Anna Shcherbakova, sat alone in stunned silence following the scoring and Valieva’s emotional exit from the rink.
“I think everybody is trying to make sense of what they just saw,” said Gannon. Added Lipinski, “But this is why you don’t let something like this happen in the first place, because it affects everyone involved, not just Kamila.”
Said Weir of Team ROC, “These girls are so close. These young women live their lives alongside one another and it’s hard not to be affected when you see that reaction and destruction of a young person at the end of their performance.”
10of 12Though Trusova expressed emotions over her teammate’s situation, she was also upset about her own place on the podium, saying, “I’m not going, I’m not going, I’m not going.”
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Though Trusova expressed emotions over her teammate’s situation, she was also upset about her own place on the podium, saying, “I’m not going, I’m not going, I’m not going.”
11of 12Skater Kaori Sakamoto reacts to the women’s individual event at the Beijing Winter Olympics.Bronze medalist Kaori Sakamoto walked around the ice with tissues in hand; Gannon said in his commentary that earlier in the week, the Team Japan skater had said “all the nerves became tears.”
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Skater Kaori Sakamoto reacts to the women’s individual event at the Beijing Winter Olympics.
Bronze medalist Kaori Sakamoto walked around the ice with tissues in hand; Gannon said in his commentary that earlier in the week, the Team Japan skater had said “all the nerves became tears.”
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Since Valieva did not place,a medal ceremony will be held, celebrating (from left) silver medalist Trusova, gold medalist Shcherbakova and bronze medalist Sakamoto, who received small versions ofOlympics mascot Bing Dwen Dwenin the post-skate flower ceremony.
“Thank goodness for all the other medalists to have that moment, and to have done it cleanly,“Lipinski said.“I have never seen an Olympic ladies event like this, ever.”
source: people.com
