Yuna Kim Makes A Statement On Russian Figure Skater Kamila Valieva’s Doping Case

The case of the 15-year-old Russian figure skater, Kamila Valieva, has been under worldwide scrutiny as of late. She skated an amazing event at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and topped the team category, helping the Russian team walk away with gold.

However, the medal was placed on hold when it was revealed that she tested positive for trimetazidine during the Russian Nationals on December 25, 2022. Trimetazidine is a heart medication that increases blood flow to the heart. The results took a six-week delay to be released, resulting in her being able to skate during the Olympics. Once news of her positive results was announced, Valieva was temporarily banned from competing in other competitions. As she is still a minor, an investigation was opened on the fate of her gold medal.

Soon after she was banned, the Court of Arbitration for Sport lifted the ban and announced that Valieva will be allowed to continue to participate in the upcoming Women’s events. The court partly decided on this thanks to her status as a minor. The new ruling caused an uproar among the global public as many believed it was unfair for an athlete to compete after testing positive for a banned substance. Meanwhile, some respect the CAS’s ruling as they claim a minor is typically not held responsible for the use of banned substances.

As the debate continued, Yuna Kim, an Olympic champion and icon of figure skating, recently spoke up about the matter.

Athletes who violate the doping rules cannot compete in competitions. This rule must be enforced without exceptions. All the dreams and efforts of every athlete is equally precious.

— Yuna Kim

Netizens praised Yuna Kim for speaking out on such an important matter.

• “She’s right.”
• “God-Yuna… Really, they should get it together.”
• “When God-Yuna’s results were affected by doping she didn’t speak up and just accepted it but she’s so cool for speaking up at times like this.”
• “So right… Do you guys get it? You baseless people.”
• “God-Yuna…”
• “God-Yuna.”

The women’s figure skating shorts and free event will take place the week of February 14, 2022. Valieva will be able to compete but the fate of her present and possible future medals will not be decided upon until her investigation is completed. The International Olympic Committee announced that should Valieva win a medal in the upcoming events, they will not hold a medal ceremony until her investigation is completed.