World anti-doping chief Witold Banka is unhappy that the former coach of Russian skater Kamila Valieva, who was disqualified after failing a drugs test before the last Winter Games, is present at the Milan edition starting on Friday. Eteri Tutberidze will be coaching a Georgian skater.
World anti-doping chief Witold Banka is unhappy that the former coach of Russian skater Kamila Valieva, who was disqualified after failing a drugs test before the last Winter Games, is present at the Milan edition starting on Friday.
Eteri Tutberidze will be coaching a Georgian skater.
At the Beijing 2022 Games, 15-year-old Valieva was allowed to compete despite testing positive for banned substance trimetazidine two months prior. She helped Russia win team gold but they were later disqualified due to the positive test.
Valieva looked set for individual gold but finished fourth and was criticized by Tutberidze.
"WADA is not behind the decision to accredit the coach," World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) chief Banka told a news conference in Milan on Wednesday.
"The investigation found no evidence this person engaged in the topic, so there is no legal basis to exclude her, but if you ask me personally about my feelings, I don't feel comfortable with her presence here at the Olympic Games."
Meanwhile, Banka said he was not worried by a proposed US government bill to suspend WADA funding. WADA has consistently clashed with the United States Anti-Doping Agency.
"I remain optimistic when it comes to engagement with our friends from the US. I know very soon they are going to pay the (financial) contribution," he said. "We are financially stable."
Olivier Niggli, WADA's director general, was also asked if his organization will look at ski jumpers using enlarged crotch areas in suits to gain an advantage.
"If anything was to come to the surface, we would look at it and see if it is doping related. We don't address other (non-doping) means of enhancing performance," he said.
Category: General Sports
