Olympic figure skating’s issues run much deeper than the Valieva scandal
by Julia Smith ’25, Staff Writer
On Feb. 14, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) announced their decision on the case of 15-year-old Kamila Valieva, who tested positive for trimetazidine, a drug banned in sport for its ability to improve physical efficiency. While there will not be a medal ceremony for the team event, in which she helped the Russians win gold, the court cleared Valieva to compete in the women’s individual competition. The CAS decision was influenced by her status as a minor and the timing of the test results, which were delayed by six weeks.
The announcement has provoked extensive criticism and anger. This marks another Olympic games marred by Russian doping scandals, and Valieva remaining eligible for competition has made many question the event’s fairness. Such reactions are understandable; it is unfair to allow an athlete with a positive test to compete, even if that athlete is a minor, and particularly in a competition as prestigious as the Olympics. The CAS decision acquits Russia of accountability and sets a risky precedent for future decisions. Valieva should not be allowed to compete in the 2022 Beijing individual women’s skating events.
However, this particular Olympic drama brings more issues to light than cheating Russians and unfair competition. Valieva is a minor, and if she was not the most formidable skater in the world, she would be spending her time as a sophomore in high school. It is impossible that this transgression was her idea. Rather, the adults around her are to blame for this particular situation.
Valieva’s coach Eteri Tutberidze is under intense scrutiny, and will likely be the focus in any future investigation.
Tutberidze has become one of Russia’s most successful coaches, training nearly every champion in the past six years, including Evgenia Medvedeva, Alina Zagitova and all three female Russian skaters at this year’s Olympics. Under her coaching, Russian women, including Valieva, have started landing quadruple jumps, a feat commonly referred to as the “quad revolution.”
However, Tutberidze is also one of the most infamous names in skating, as her methods are controversial and far from sustainable. Notably, Tutberidze expects her skaters to have extremely low body weights, as the triple and quadruple jumps that she champions rely on prepubescent bodies instead of a sustainable building of muscle and strength. Once these skaters go through puberty, they are often unable to continue as before. As a result, serious injuries and eating disorders are incredibly common among Tutberidze skaters. For example, Yulia Lipnitskaya retired at the age of 19 due to hip injuries and anorexia, and Evgenia Medvedeva announced her retirement at the age of 22 due to a back injury.
Tutberidze is leading the charge of the sudden age drop in champion figure skaters, producing girl after girl, all of whom must rely on their youth to win. Valieva is one of these.
Unfortunately, Tutberidze is not the only one guilty for this trend. Female figure skaters are getting younger and younger, often fading from the public eye before they turn 23. While teenagers have always been present in figure skating, it is only in recent years that youth has essentially become a requirement. Therefore, the sport has become dominated by young girls, who dazzle audiences for a few seasons before being replaced by newer, younger and shinier girls.
While youthful energy allows for higher and more impressive jumps, it also means that the skaters are highly impressionable. Young girls are often pushed to their limits, facing physical and mental injury for the sake of victory. Valieva’s failed drug-test is one manifestation of this latest phenomenon of abuse in the sport. Though the situation is still murky, it is likely that she was told to dope, an instruction that can cause damage to her body.
Furthermore, now that the public is aware of the scandal, Valieva faces further abuse in the scorn and derision of the majority of the world. Her name and accomplishments have been tarnished, and her legacy will likely include her possible use of performance-enhancing drugs. Because her drug use is probably not her fault, Valieva should not be barred from future competitions, and this scandal should not permanently tarnish her career. However, it is now likely that her career will not last very long.
Valieva is an exquisite skater, with a talent and artistry that rivals some of the greatest names in women’s figure skating, but it is uncertain if she will be able to experience longevity and growth within the sport. It is possible she will fall victim to the same issues that took down her Russian predecessors, retiring due to injury, burn-out or an inability to compete once she reaches adulthood.
This most recent Olympic scandal demonstrates the importance of raising the required age for senior competition. In allowing 15-year-olds to compete as seniors, the International Skating Association (ISU) remains passive on the issue of ever-younger female skaters. Until the age of senior competitors is raised, young girls will face immense pressure and abuse for the sake of winning. Their careers will continue to disintegrate by the time they reach adulthood.
Female figure skating is a beautiful and valuable sport. Its athletes should not be children who are used and then discarded once their bodies have broken under immense stress. These girls are not disposable.
