Beijing - The Women’s figure skating championship witnessed heart-breaking moments on Thursday. Russian teenage skater Kamila Valieva, crumbled under pressure from an alleged doping case, tumbled to the fourth position, after falling several times during her quad jumps.
After one of the most dramatic nights in their sport’s history, Russia’s trio of teenage figure skating stars each enter an uncertain future.
Anna Shcherbakova, 17, the Russian gold medalist, who delivered a clean performance in her free skate at Capital Indoor Stadium, said “she felt empty” after learning of her win. Shcherbakova seemed unsure how to react to the drama unfolding around her, and said she felt sorry for Valieva.
Alexandra Trusova, 17, the Russian silver medalist, in tears, cried out at the rink-side after learning of her medal position, “I hate this sport! I won’t go onto the ice again!”
Her Olympics and life turned upside down by the doping case, world record holder Kamila Valieva faces a possible ban and a coach whose first response to her disastrous skate on Thursday was just criticism.
Olympic chief Thomas Bach said on Friday it had been "chilling" to witness at the Beijing Olympics as a doping scandal continued to swirl, hitting out at the 15-year-old's following.
Bach criticised Valieva’s coach, Eteri Tutberidze, who confronted the visibly shaken teenager after her performance, saying, “"Why did you let it go? Explain it to me, why? Why did you stop fighting completely? Somewhere after the axel you let it go".
"Rather than giving her comfort, rather than to try to help her you could feel this chilling atmosphere, this distance and if you were interpreting the body language of them, it got even worse because this was even some kind of dismissive gestures” criticized Bach throwing doubts at the teenager skaters entourage.
The saga has opened a debate on the suitability of the Olympic environment for minors, but International Olympic Committee president Bach said the IOC had limited means of action.
Bach also said the IOC would also look into the rules applying to minors at competitions as Valieva was cleared to compete also due to the mitigating factor that she was 15.
Some in skating have pushed to raise the minimum age for participation at the Olympics from 15 to 17 or 18.
Unfortunately for Valieva, she can’t relax just yet. The failed drug test which turned her life upside down still hangs over her head.
-AP