US skating team meets with IOC president over Valieva doping medal delay

Beijing, China – International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach has met with the US Olympic figure skating team as the fallout from Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva doping case continues.

Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva has tested positive for the banned heart medicine trimetazidine.
Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva has tested positive for the banned heart medicine trimetazidine.  © IMAGO / ZUMA Press

Valieva (15) tested positive for the banned heart medicine trimetazidine in a sample taken at the Russian championships on December 25.

Valieva helped Russia win Olympic team gold on February 7, the day before news of the positive test arrived.

The US team won silver, and has now met with Bach to discuss the situation, IOC spokesperson Mark Adams said.

He declined to discuss details of the meeting, but said it was only through speaking to the team that the IOC could determine "what they really want, how they really feel," Adams said.

The Japanese team, who won bronze, "accept the approach" of the IOC, Adams said, and did not request a meeting.

The IOC has said the medal ceremony for the event will not take place until the case is fully resolved.

Valieva was not removed from competition and is currently competing in the women's individual Olympic figure skating. The results will be provisional should she medal, the IOC said.

She currently leads the competition, with the final round to be held on Thursday evening.

Cover photo: IMAGO / ZUMA Press

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