A hearing into the alleged doping by Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva that impacts results of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing was suspended until November by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, with the panel saying Thursday it needed “further documentation.”
Valieva wowed in the team competition at the Olympics, with the then-15-year-old leading Russia’s delegation to the gold medal. The United States, Japan and Canada finished next in line.
But during the Games, it was revealed she tested positive for the banned substance trimetazidine on Dec. 25, 2021, when her sample was collected at the Russian championships. It is a heart drug that can boost endurance.
The medal ceremony in Beijing was canceled, with none of the athletes from the United States or Japan yet to receive their medals. Should the Russians be disqualified, Canada would slide into the bronze medal position, with the Americans winning gold and the Japanese silver.
The hearing in front of the panel began Tuesday. The World Anti-Doping Agency is appealing the determination of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency that Valieva wasn’t negligent or at fault in the findings.
The hearing was scheduled to restart on Nov. 9 in Lausanne, Switzerland.
The International Skating Union wants the panel to determine the winner of the team competition in Beijing.
Tracy Marek, the CEO of U.S Figure Skating, reacted to the delay in a statement.
“While we recognize the inherent complexities and time requirements of legal processes, the nearly 600-day wait without a resolution is undeniably another painful setback for our dedicated athletes,” Marek said. “We emphasize the importance of transparency in this matter, as it greatly impacts our athletes.”
One of those athletes is Vincent Zhou, who represented the United State in the team event and came home with an empty box instead of a medal. He has been waiting to fill it with either a gold or silver medal.
“I don’t think any of us thought that it would take this long to resolve what was a seemingly black and white case, but here we are. And it still feels every bit as surreal as it did on day one,” Zhou told CNN.
–Field Level Media