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IOC President Alarmed By 'Chilling' Reception Russian Skater Got From Her Coaches After Not Medaling
It appears Russian star figure skater Kamila Valieva received the cold shoulder from her coach after a mistake-filled performance during the women's individual competition dropped her from first place to fourth at the 2022 Winter Olympics.
When the 15-year-old skater, who is representing the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC), failed to medal after she stumbled multiple times in her final skate last Thursday, she left the ice in tears.
But instead of being met with sympathy, Valieva faced questions from her coach, Eteri Tutberidze, who asked the emotionally distressed teen:
“Why did you let it go? Why did you stop fighting? Well, explain. You let it go after the axel.”
International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach said the reception he witnessed towards the embattled skater was "disturbing."
Here are excerpts from Bach's statements, below.
"It was chilling." International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach has criticized Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva\u2019s entourage for their treatment of the 15-year-old after she made mistakes in her free skate at the Beijing Olympics.\n\nMore: http://apne.ws/2REmM3P\u00a0pic.twitter.com/AaypUSETaI— The Associated Press (@The Associated Press) 1645167308
The IOC President–who did not specifically mention Tutberidze by name–called the interaction he observed, "chilling."
"I must say I was very very disturbed yesterday when I watched the competition on TV," said Bach.
"For a girl of 15 years old and to see her struggling on the ice, seeing how she tries to compose herself again. How she tries to finish her program."
"You could in every movement, in body language feel that this is an immense mental presence that maybe she would have preferred to just leave the ice and try to leave this story behind her."
"But this was not all."
You can catch a glimpse of Valieva's interaction with the coach in the non-audio video clip below.
I have so much sympathy for Kamila Valieva right now. I can't imagine how difficult this must be for her, but she's also proving her grit for continuing to press ahead on the CHANCE that maybe she will be allowed to enter women's singles.pic.twitter.com/k3PRAkmrky— The Medal Count (@The Medal Count) 1644698908
This coach has long been known to be horrible to her skaters. This is terrible treatment of a young athlete, but not remotely surprising considering the source— Mindy (@Mindy) 1645146268
Bach continued telling reporters:
"When I afterward saw how she was received by her closet entourage with what appeared to be a tremendous coldness, it was chilling."
She needs help and to be removed from this coach. I fear for her and her safety. This is just so sad.— ann mahdy (@ann mahdy) 1645145196
The way Eteri Tutberidze, a monster of a coach, received Kamila Valieva after the free skate and criticised her is about the most disgusting and unbelievable scenes I've ever seen at the Games. Tutberidse should be banned for life and never be allowed to work with children again.pic.twitter.com/Mlkar0UBmH— SPORT & POLITICS (@SPORT & POLITICS) 1645125215
He added:
“Rather than giving her comfort, rather than to try to help her, you could feel this chilling atmosphere."
“If you were interpreting the body language of them it got even worse because this was even some kind of dismissive gestures.”
"You could feel this chilling atmosphere, this distance."
I just wanted to hug Kamila so bad. She needed comfort and love and all she got was snubbed by her own entourage. Evil!!! Pure evil!! No wonder she's called Cruella. Kamila is a kid!! OMG I was livid watching the way she was treated.— Carole Lindstrom (@Carole Lindstrom) 1645188252
Valieva previously made history as the first woman ever to land a quad jump and the first to land two of them in the women's free skate of the team final event.
But her impressive accomplishments in Beijing were quickly overshadowed when she became the subject of a doping scandal.
The World Anti-Doping Agency is currently investigating the adults around Valieva after she tested positive for trimetazidine–an athletic endurance-boosting heart medication that is listed in the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) prohibited substances list.
Twitter had a hunch about what may have happened behind the scenes and weighed in with their thoughts on the entire controversy.
She fell on her sword on purpose,she didnt want a tainted win. When you have that level of talent those moves are almost instinctual yr not likely to mess up that many times. The adults in her life are to blame for the situation she now finds herself in.— MK (@MK) 1645176851
No surprise she blamed the skater when this coach failed to protect Valieva from drug use and the resulting damage to her Olympic career. One day, Russia might let their talented skaters compete without trying to cheat the system or abuse the athletes.— liberal monster (@liberal monster) 1645156767
It was never about these athletes. It\u2019s only about Russia getting medals and tv ratings. So sad.— Phyllis Musk (@Phyllis Musk) 1645154736
And this is why Valieva is likely not the villain here. She's the victim of a system— Jeffrey Kelley (@Jeffrey Kelley) 1645144880
Kamila Valieva should have been disqualified. Her coaches officially put under investigation & suspended. She should have been sent home to receive psychological support and be around her loved ones. Instead they used her as a pawn and made her crumble in front of the world— sara \u26f8 in my ISU anti era\u26f8 (@sara \u26f8 in my ISU anti era\u26f8) 1645106661
I think that she withdrew from the competition in the only way she could.— Jennifer Smith (@Jennifer Smith) 1645155001
No surprise she blamed the skater when this coach failed to protect Valieva from drug use and the resulting damage to her Olympic career. One day, Russia might let their talented skaters compete without trying to cheat the system or abuse the athletes.— liberal monster (@liberal monster) 1645156767
This kid has been through hell. Pressed upon to take meds that qualify as doping, then deal with the harassment from Coach Ratchet.— KathyOScoopie \ud83c\udf40 (@KathyOScoopie \ud83c\udf40) 1645158449
Jesus. This was so painful to watch. Damn heartless coach just added salt to her wounds, this 15yr old girl who they gave banned substances to just fell apart in front of the world, and that is all she had to say. Heartless.— Mizz\ud83d\udc60\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6 (@Mizz\ud83d\udc60\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6) 1645158456
It is obvious, that these dirty methods are being imposed on Russian athletes. The Russian sports system is mired in corruption. And these poor, properly untrained athletes are paying the price.— Kelly (@Kelly) 1645182787
Valieva was granted eligibility to continue competing despite her failed drug test–which consequently drew scrutiny from the public and other competitive athletes–including former Olympian, Johnny Weir.
The retired figure skater called Valieva's participation in the Games, “the destruction of a young person."
Track star Sha'Carri Richardson also called out the IOC's double standards when she was banned from participating in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo following her suspension when she tested positive for THC metabolites–the intoxicant in marijuana, which is not used to boost athletic endurance, unlike trimetazidine.
Poor girl. She is having one of the worst times achieving her life's dream.— Adam (@Adam) 1645156441
Tutberidze was more compassionate earlier in the Games when Valieva's positive drug test results from back on December 25, 2021, were revealed after she first secured gold for the ROC.
Tutberidze told Channel One Russia, according to TASS, a Russian news agency:
"I want to say that we are absolutely sure that Kamila is innocent and pure. And for us this is not a theorem, but an axiom. It does not need to be proven."
However, when Valieva failed to place in the top three and prevented a clean sweep of medals Tutberidze was hoping for after Russian skaters Anna Shcherbakova and Anna Trusova won gold and silver respectively, the coach withheld empathy for the fallen star skater.