GENEVA: Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva will give evidence by video link for a hearing this month into her doping case that rocked the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport said Friday that Valieva and officials from the Russian anti-doping agency are among “parties, witnesses and experts” giving testimony remotely at a closed-door hearing in Lausanne from Sept. 26-29.
The World Anti-Doping Agency is seeking a four-year ban for Valieva, though a verdict could take months.
“At this juncture, it is not possible to indicate when the final decision will be announced,” the court said in a statement detailing the expected process.
Valieva came into the Beijing Games as a 15-year-old gold-medal favorite, before her positive test for a banned heart medication was revealed.
She was allowed by an emergency CAS panel to continue skating pending a full investigation, but placed fourth after an error-filled program. After a Russian tribunal eventually ruled last year that Valieva was not at fault, WADA and the International Skating Union appealed to CAS.
WADA is also asking the CAS judges to disqualify Valieva from the Olympics, which would strip the Russians of gold in the team event. She starred in a clear win ahead of the United States, which took silver and could be upgraded to gold.
The ISU is requesting a ban of two to four years and Olympic disqualification.
Valieva’s lawyers argue that CAS has no jurisdiction, the court said, and alternatively that she was not at fault so a reprimand is enough.
CAS said her lawyers also suggest that a possible ban should only be for two years because the positive test was not intentional, and that the Olympics results should stand.
In Beijing, Valieva’s lawyers said she had inadvertently been contaminated by trimetazidine her grandfather was taking. It can increase blood flow efficiency and improve endurance.
She tested positive on Dec. 25, 2021, at the Russian national championships held in St. Petersburg, where she won the women’s title.
The sample was sent to a laboratory in Stockholm, Sweden, where processing was delayed by staff shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic and, according to WADA, because Russian officials did not label the batch of samples as a high priority.
CAS has chosen Australian lawyer James Drake to chair the judging panel. WADA and the ISU picked American lawyer Jeffrey Mishkin, a long-time senior counsel to the NBA. In a long career as a CAS judge, Mishkin has been chosen by FIFA to hear American soccer cases.
French law professor Mathieu Maisonneuve was selected for the panel by Valieva’s legal team.
Russian skater Valieva to testify by video link at CAS hearing into Beijing Olympics doping case
https://arab.news/y4zk2
Russian skater Valieva to testify by video link at CAS hearing into Beijing Olympics doping case
- The Court of Arbitration for Sport said Friday that Valieva and officials from the Russian anti-doping agency are among “parties, witnesses and experts” giving testimony remotely
- The World Anti-Doping Agency is seeking a four-year ban for Valieva, though a verdict could take months
Chelsea paid for costly errors in Arsenal defeat, says Rosenior
LONDON: Liam Rosenior admitted Chelsea paid the price for costly mistakes after Arsenal took advantage of his side’s blunders to win 3-2 in the League Cup semifinal first leg on Wednesday.
Rosenior’s team face a tough task to set up a final against either Manchester City or Newcastle following their error-strewn display in their new manager’s first home match.
Chelsea were guilty of sloppy marking for Ben White’s early headed opener before goalkeeper Robert Sanchez gifted striker Viktor Gyokeres Arsenal’s second goal after half-time.
Alejandro Garnacho got one back for Chelsea but Martin Zubimendi then netted for Arsenal after more lacklustre defending from Rosenior’s men.
Substitute Garnacho’s second goal gave Chelsea a glimmer of hope heading into the second leg at the Emirates Stadium in February.
“Disappointed to concede from a corner. Disappointed with the third goal as well because we were right back in the game and we were on top at that moment,” Rosenior said.
“We switched off from a restart from a central free-kick but I can’t fault the players.
“We need to make sure we perform well individually and we don’t concede as many goals.”
Rosenior was without a host of key players, including Cole Palmer, Reece James and Liam Delap, due to injuries and illness.
‘It’s another step’
In his second game since replacing Enzo Maresca as Blues boss, the 41-year-old took heart from the way Chelsea kept fighting to find a way back into the tie.
“We’ve had illness in the squad, we’ve picked up a few knocks this week but what the squad has shown is that they are willing to run and fight for each other,” he said.
Rosenior, who oversaw a 5-1 FA Cup third-round win at Charlton in his debut last weekend, refused to condemn Sanchez for the latest in a long line of shaky performances.
“Rob’s a very good goalkeeper. He made an outstanding save at 3-1 to keep us in the tie, so for me load of things to improve but the overall attitude of the team I liked,” Rosenior said.
“Hopefully, we get a few bodies back for Brentford on Saturday.”
Arsenal are now unbeaten in 10 games in all competitions as they moved a step closer to their first silverware since the 2020 FA Cup.
The Gunners had lost their previous four semifinals across a variety of competitions, including the League Cup last year.
Mikel Arteta was impressed with Arsenal’s ability to subdue Chelsea for long periods, but he was left to rue their failure to kill off their London rivals.
“I have to praise the players for the performance against a really good opponents. It’s a really tough place to come. That’s why I really value what the team has done again,” Arteta said.
“We had two massive chances to score the fourth one and the result would have been very different. At that moment they created a chance and scored a goal. So it is a very different feeling. It’s game on.”
As well as leading the Premier League, Arsenal are also still chasing Champions League and FA Cup glory.
But after so many last-four failures in the recent past, Arteta won’t take anything for granted.
“It’s another step. It’s just half-time. We know the big fight we are going to have at the Emirates in a few weeks because they are a top side,” he said.
“What we’re doing every three days is impressive.”
