BEIJING – As numerous worldwide organizations work their manner by their investigation of the constructive drug take a look at of a member of the gold-medal-winning Russian determine skating crew, a medal ceremony doesn’t seem imminent and won’t even occur earlier than the Olympics finish, an individual with information of the state of affairs informed USA TODAY Sports activities.
The particular person spoke on on the situation of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the state of affairs.
The purpose of the organizations is {that a} medal ceremony for the crew determine skating competitors would happen throughout the Video games, however officers don’t need to rush as the method performs out and danger rewarding a outcome that may change throughout an appeals course of.
The ceremony has been delayed by the constructive drug take a look at of a member of the gold-medal-winning Russian crew, and officers have been informed that the athlete who examined constructive is a minor.
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The one minor on the six-person Russian crew that received the gold was Kamila Valieva, 15, the gold-medal favourite within the girls’s competitors to be held subsequent week.
The Worldwide Olympic Committee controls the medal ceremony however isn’t accountable for the inquiry into the doping violation, the particular person stated. There seems to be some confusion about precisely who’s accountable for that: the Worldwide Testing Authority, which manages the unbiased anti-doping program on the Olympics; the Worldwide Skating Union, which is the worldwide governing physique for determine skating; and the Courtroom of Arbitration for Sport, which is on location on the Video games.
Additional complicating issues is Valieva’s age. As a result of she is a minor, there may be concern in regards to the doable involvement of her coach or different adults in her doping, the particular person stated.
Punishment might lead to her suspension and disqualification from the Olympics. Nevertheless it’s additionally doable that Valieva might be reprimanded reasonably than disqualified as a result of she is a minor and if she is discovered to not have acted in a negligent method.
If she had been to not be disqualified from these Video games, it’s inside the realm of risk that not solely would she be allowed to compete within the girls’s occasion, but in addition the outcomes of the crew competitors would stay the identical and the Russian Olympic Committee would preserve its gold medal, with the USA getting the silver and Japan the bronze.
If Valieva is banned, it’s believed the USA would win the gold, adopted by Japan with the silver and Canada shifting up from fourth place to win the bronze.
