On 8 February 2022, after the figure skating team competition at the XXIV Olympic Winter Games, the Russian Olympic Committee received information from the International Testing Agency (ITA) that the Russian Anti-Doping Agency RUSADA had imposed a provisional suspension against the Athlete as of 8 February 2022, 11.36 am (Beijing time).
The provisional suspension was imposed due to the notification from Stockholm anti-doping laboratory about the adverse analytical finding in the sample of the Athlete, which was collected on 25 December 2021 during the Russian Figure Skating Championship in Saint Petersburg
The Athlete’s sample contained the prohibited substance trimetazidine, a substance in Class S4.4 of the WADA 2021 Prohibited List.
This sample of the athlete, which was positive, does not refer to the period of the Olympic Games. During the period before and after 25 December 2021, the Athlete has passed numerous doping tests, she passed them also in Beijing during the figure skating tournament. All results have been negative.
Provisional suspension status meant that the Athlete was not allowed to participate in Russian and international competitions from 8 February 2022, until a final decision on her case is rendered.
To protect the rights and interests of the Russian athlete, qualified lawyers were involved in the case and they are providing the Athlete with all the necessary legal assistance.
In accordance with the Russian Anti-Doping Rules and the World Anti-Doping Code, the Athlete requested an expedited hearing from RUSADA regarding the provisional suspension imposed on her.
The hearing was held on 9 February 2022 in Moscow. As a result of the hearing, the RUSADA Disciplinary Anti-Doping Committee cancelled the provisional suspension imposed on the Athlete. This decision became effective immediately.
In accordance with the Russian Anti-Doping Rules and the World Anti-Doping Code, the above decision of the RUSADA Disciplinary Anti-Doping Committee on the cancellation of the provisional suspension may be appealed by the parties concerned before the CAS.
Thus, at present, the Athlete has the right to train and compete to the fullest extent without restrictions unless the Court of Arbitration for Sport rules otherwise regarding her status with respect to the Olympics.
In any case, the Russian Anti-Doping Agency RUSADA will conduct a disciplinary investigation on the merits of a possible anti-doping violation in accordance with the applicable rules under the established procedure.
Given the fact that the positive sample of the Athlete was taken not during the Olympic Games, the results of the Athlete and the results of the team event during the Olympic Games are not subject to automatic revision.
In addition, the Russian Olympic Committee draws attention to the fact that the Athlete’s sample taken after the European Figure Skating Championships in January 2022, as well as her sample taken during the Olympics, both resulted negative.
The Russian Olympic Committee is taking comprehensive measures to protect the rights and interests of the ROC Team members and to keep the Olympic gold medal won in fair competition.
The ROC also assumes that a full investigation will be conducted to determine all the relevant legal and factual circumstances of what happened.
