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A little over a month after her tearful disappointment at the Beijing Olympics, Kamila Valieva is slated to compete this weekend at an exhibition event in Russia, with her country’s athletes barred from international skating competition because of the Ukraine invasion.
Valieva, 15, will compete in Saransk’s Channel One Trophy competition, an exhibition that coincides with the world championships. Russian Olympic Committee gold medalist Anna Shcherbakova and silver medalist Alexandra Trusova also will compete in the Channel One event, which runs Friday to Sunday. The world championships start Wednesday in Montpelier, France, and run through the weekend.
Jerry Brewer: Kamila Valieva’s torment will be the sad legacy of the Beijing Olympics
Valieva had been allowed to compete despite testing positive for a banned heart medication after a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which cited “exceptional circumstances.” CAS pointed to her age and the timing of the test result, which came after about six weeks after the sample was taken and during the Games, in ruling that she could compete.
Valieva’s team said she was accidentally contaminated by her grandfather’s heart medication and the case remains pending; medals in the team event have not been awarded. The United States finished second and Japan was third, with Canada fourth.
The Russian exhibition will feature two teams of skaters competing in men’s and women’s singles, pairs and ice dancing.
After Olympics controversy, Kamila Valieva returns in Russian skating exhibition (msn.com)