Kamila Valieva returns to Olympic ice and leads figure skating short program

BEIJING — The bus ride to Capital Indoor Stadium takes the world’s Olympic media past the Beijing Zoo, where visitors stare at the giant pandas.

On Tuesday, the zoo was inside the Beijing 2022 figure skating venue with Kamila Valieva the main attraction.

The 15-year-old Russian skater is the focus of an international frenzy regarding her positive drug test and the decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport to allow her to compete.

Perhaps the only people not agonizing over the situation are the other skaters.

“It’s sort of out of our control,” said Mariah Bell of the United States, who is in 11th place, but she added, “I’m a huge advocate for clean sport.”

But she said she had sympathy for what Valieva is going through. “Sure, I think it’s a tough situation for everyone and she’s young,” Bell said, “It’s hard enough for me and I’m 25. I don’t know what it would be like if I was 10 years younger.”

Lindsay van Zundert of Netherlands wouldn’t even entertain a question about Valieva.

“I’m not talking about Kamila,” she said. “My first point when I came here was just to enjoy and make the best of it.”

There were 30 competitors in the women’s short program, with Valieva No. 26 in the lineup. One of the earlier skaters was Josefin Talleyrand of Sweden, who performed to music called “Ready or not here I come.”

That could have been Valieva’s theme music. At 9:38 p.m., she appeared, resplendent in purple and a Russian Olympic Committee jacket, for the warmup. As she was introduced, the audience clapped politely and a group of Russian athletes in the rafters of the building cheered loudly. They also carried a banner with her picture on it.

Valieva was the second skater in the final group to compete. She performed to a piece called, “In Memoriam,” which could be prophetic since there is a possibility that her performance will just be a memory if her results are later erased from the competition.

Although Valieva was the first woman to perform a quadruple jump in Olympic competition — landing two in the free skate during the team event — she had no quads planned for the short program.

As she stood at the boards, her controversial coach, Eteri Tutberidze, grasped her hands and held her gaze, giving last-minute instructions.

Opening with a triple axel, Valieva was uncharacteristically tilted in the air, but saved the jump as the crowd gasped. However, she took a step and put down a hand. Valieva then landed her triple flip and completed her triple lutz/triple toe combination.

As her program concluded, Valieva was in tears, putting her face in her hand. She skated, looking distraught, in a circle before taking her bows. In the Kiss and Cry area, Tutberidze had a stuffed animal for her.

Although earlier this season Valieva set the short program world record with 90.45 points, she was awarded only 82.16 for this performance.

Still, it was enough to top teammate Anna Shcherbakova, the reigning world champion, who scored a season best of 80.20 points. Japanese skater Sakamoto Kaori also set a season high of 79.84 points to edge the third Russian, Alexandra Trusova, who scored 74.60.

So far, Valieva’s only public comments have been to Russian television. “It’s as if I don’t have any emotions left,” she said. “I am happy but at the same time I am emotionally tired.”

She had nothing to add Tuesday. Clutching the stuffed animal, she was escorted quickly through the mixed zone, a zig zagging corral where athletes stop at different stations to talk.

Russian media did not shout questions. They took out their phones and took photos.While there was an air of expectation in the chilly press conference room, Valieva’s seat remained empty. The press conference moderator said that non-medal round press conferences are not mandatory.

But her presence was heavy in the room as most of the questions centered around her.

Sakamoto measured her words carefully.

“Yes, there’s a lot of talk about that,” she said. “I know that this is happening and of course, I know nothing about the truth. I don’t know any of the details, so I can’t really comment on this.

And yet she was pressed to comment further.

“Do I feel sorry for her? I wouldn’t say so,” she said. “But,, how do I say this? It’s really difficult to express myself. Of course, there were moments where I thought, what’s going to happen, what is happening? But I think what is important is that I focus on myself and my performance on the Olympic stage.”

Shcherbakova answered most of the press conference questions in Russia, but replied to a query about Valieva in English. “I will not say anything about this situation. Sorry.”

The free skate is Thursday, and there will be repercussions for skaters besides Valieva.

Jenni Saarinen of Finland, the 25th qualifier, normally would not advance to the free skate, but in these exceptional circumstances she will also compete. The IOC asked — and the ISU quickly agreed — that this would be fair to the athletes in case Valieva is eventually found to have been ineligible.

The IOC also decreed that there would be no medal ceremony for the women’s short program if Valieva wins a medal. This would eliminate the need to sort out the mess of reallocating medals if Valieva is disqualified.

Natasha McKay of Great Britain also was asked if she had sympathy for Valieva. “I have sympathy for whoever will be on the podium and they won’t be receiving their medals,” she said. “I feel like that’s quite sad. That’s the most important part of the Olympics to get a medal and to stand on the podium and they won’t get that.”

KEEP READING: