The 15-year-old’s name began trending on Weibo, China’s main social media platform, after Russian newspaper RBC indicated that she had tested positive for the banned heart medication trimetazidine before the 2022 Games.
The metabolic agent, which is used to treat angina, is prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) for its potential endurance-enhancing effects on athletes. The International Olympic Committee has refused to comment on the speculation surrounding the teenager who won gold in the figure skating team event on Monday, sparking further questions.
Disquiet among Chinese audiences began on Wednesday when the IOC confirmed that the medal ceremony for the figure skating event, scheduled for the previous evening, had been canceled because of a “legal issue” that had emerged at short notice.
Russia’s team—competing under the ROC banner as a result of the WADA ban for state-sponsored doping—would have been on the podium along with the United States in second place and Japan third.
Fans were hopeful on Thursday when footage emerged showing Valieva practicing on the ice. The star athlete, known affectionately as “Baby K” in China, is favorite to win the women’s singles next week. Her Chinese followers lamented the cloud now hovering over her performances and expressed doubt about her alleged use of trimetazidine.
“Sure, Russia might use substances for other events, but it really didn’t need to for figure skating,” one Weibo user wrote.
The teenager made history on Monday when she became the first woman to land a quadruple jump at the Olympics—performing the feat twice during her routine.
According to RBC, the positive sample in question was obtained before Valieva competed last month at the European championship, where she placed first and set a new world record in the short program. The newspaper didn’t say when or how the test came to light and was brought to the IOC’s attention. The global Olympics body said it was in legal consultation with the International Skating Union.
On Chinese social media, commenters began lashing out at the Russian newspaper for its apparent scapegoating of Valieva, with fans expressing their belief that she is either innocent of the charge or was coerced into taking the substance—citing Russia’s history of doping scandals.
“If Kamila Valieva truly needed this medication for her heart, it’s only natural to ask what Russia was doing by allowing a 15-year-old with a heart ailment to compete at this level. It’s less ethical than using it as a performance enhancer,” one user posted.
Others on Weibo pointed out that if the ROC is disqualified, gold would go to the U.S. and silver to Japan, with fourth-placed Canada taking bronze.
Moscow, for its part, hasn’t been dragged into the speculation; its athletes have declined questions from the press. In a brief statement to RBC, Russian figure skating federation spokesperson Olga Ermolina said Valieva was “not suspended.” On Wednesday, Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov told reporters it was best to wait for clarity from the IOC.
For China, the Beijing Games have got off to a good start. Its Olympians have claimed two gold medals in short track speed skating and one in women’s freeski big air. The ski gold came courtesy of American-born Eileen Gu, who has emerged as the country’s sporting darling after choosing to compete for China in 2019.
