Figure Skating

[NUguy514]

Because I have the Spectrum app for my "normal" TV, my recordings of the Olympics are all fucked up.  Was the Craig Melvin interview with Nathan Chen worth watching tonight?  My recording just randomly ended right before the end of the mixed aerials, so I missed that interview and haven't been able to find it online anywhere.  If it's anywhere online, I would love to be pointed in the right direction.

In case you didn't know, Spectrum...SUUUUUUUUUUCKS, you guys.

[GreyBunny]

4 hours ago, greyhorse said:

I don't believe for a second that just because she's 15, she doesn't know what she was taking.  But that's obviously going to be the explanation.  It shouldn't matter who gave it to you.  If you compete as an adult against other adults - which is essentially what these teenagers are doing - then you abide by the same rules.  Which means knowing what goes into your body and making sure it's not a banned substance.

Agree. She’s not quite an adult but she’s not a child either, she’s old enough to know the rules and what’s right and wrong. She’s surrounded by sucky coaches and handlers, but at 15 it’s not the same as if she were 7.

If someone is too young to be held accountable then they don’t belong in the Olympics at all. Send the children home and leave competing to the adults.

[Pallas]

7 hours ago, Crs97 said:

Why in the world would a Russian agency have any authority, given the country’s complete inability to follow the rules?!?!

It was RUSADA who administered the test and imposed the provisional suspension, when the test results were reported by the WADA lab in Sweden. It was also RUSADA who then lifted the suspension a day later. We've been told we're waiting for their why -- at least, for their statement. While we wait, the IOC has gone ahead and appealed that decision to the Court of Arbitration Sport.

[Guest]

I’ve thought for the last few Olympics that this whole “Russian Olympic Committee” thing was an absolute farce designed only to placate, and this shows why. Call it what you like- the athletes are still competing for Russia. If their state-system was corrupt enough to be removed from the Olympics, doing this half in, half out approach is ridiculous. I do understand the desire not to punish the athletes who weren’t involved, but unfortunately, it isn’t effective. Now it is yet another shadow over the Olympics and minimizing what the clean teams fought hard to achieve.

[absnow54]

6 hours ago, legaleagle53 said:

AND what does this mean for OUR ladies' chances of at least making the podium? I'm not watching for the Russians, you know!

It opens a place on the podium for Japan. US ladies are looking for a top 10 finish, at best. If Alysa lands her 3A, she may sneak into Top 5. 

This all makes my head hurt. I thought Russia wasn’t allowed to run their own doping program as part of punishment for all of their doping. So in the future, you can dope your child athletes as much as you want, so long as you run the results the day before the competition, impose the minimum punishment (which for Protected Persons is a wrist slap) and then send them off to compete? Who is protecting these Protected Persons? The ROC needs to be punished. If they’re trying to make a mockery of the system, ban the entire organization.

I watched part of the IOC daily briefing last night, US, Canadian, and Japanese journalists were asking lots of questions regarding this, but no comments were made aside from pointing them to the ITA report. 

[lurkerbee]

 

 

[absnow54]

WADA statement:

 

[ChicksDigScars]

The Fanyu's on Twitter. Lord have mercy. One poster claims to be a skating judge, and declared, "I have re-watched and re-scored the top four of the Men's Event and these are the scores that they SHOULD have been given," and the Fanyu's were all over it. Thanking him, and asking if they can now call their Precioussssss a "three time OGM." (shades of Plushenko in 2010, with his "Platinum Medal")

Of course, in this "reworking of the scores," it's a Japanese medals sweep and Nathan comes in fourth. 

Good god. Pooh Boy fell. TWICE. The placements of the top four are pretty proper, as far as most can see.  The problem being is that these delusional Pooh-worshipping crackpots, send their "findings" to the ISU. 

I know Hanyu is a brilliant skater and seems to be a sweet guy. I actually feel sorry for him. But his fans make me want to see him retire. Give me the good old days of the Virtue and Moir basement children.

If only Hanyu had skated in the Team event. They'd be allll over this Russian doping scandal and making a ton of noise about it. 

Meagan Duhamel "liked" my Tweet!!!! Fangirling!

 

Edited February 11, 2022 by ChicksDigScars

[ShellsandCheese]

More info about the Valieva mess, also, because she is a minor Eteri and the coaching staff will also face investigation, so that’s a plus. She’ll also be stripped of the Russian title she won in December. No word on what will happen with the Euro title and it will be a long a while before the team medal situation is sorted out.

https://apnews.com/article/winter-olympics-kamila-valieva-doping-hearing-b83486d765c1fa5a907d183c637a5dde

Edited February 11, 2022 by ShellsandCheese

[Lady Whistleup]

Daily Mail is the worst. Here's one Daily Mail reporter:

 

[absnow54]

Gross to be harassing a 15 year old. I don't like that AP is plastering a bunch of pictures of her looking distraught. Kamila is not the issue here. She should not be the image here. It's the corruption of the ROC, RUSADA, and Team Tutberidze that should be the focus. 

[CeeBeeGee]

1 minute ago, absnow54 said:

Gross to be harassing a 15 year old. I don't like that AP is plastering a bunch of pictures of her looking distraught. Kamila is not the issue here. She should not be the image here. It's the corruption of the ROC, RUSADA, and Team Tutberidze that should be the focus. 

Thank you! I am seeing a fair amount of "well, she should've known what she was putting into her body" and "she's old enough to compete so she's responsible." This is fucking RUSSIA! No, she is not responsible! She has almost no agency in that system! No, I don't think she should be able to compete; yes, I think the team scores (and Euros, etc.) should be voided. But leave her the hell alone! She is not the problem. It's fucking Russia--as always. They ruin everything. And they need to be kicked out in a meaningful way. They obviously haven't learned anything.

[Lady Whistleup]

This is awful.

 

Kamila deserves to be suspended and barred from competing. But the glee with which people are getting from harassing her is ... disturbing.

I also disagree that 15 years old is "not a child." I teach high schoolers. You would not believe how immature they are. Just the other day I had a student who is 6'4" and around 200 pounds crying because his colored pencil broke.

Bar her from competition, etc. But don't pretend like she's just a wicked girl gone rogue. She's the victim of child abuse.

[Minneapple]

10 hours ago, greyhorse said:

I don't believe for a second that just because she's 15, she doesn't know what she was taking.  But that's obviously going to be the explanation.  It shouldn't matter who gave it to you.  If you compete as an adult against other adults - which is essentially what these teenagers are doing - then you abide by the same rules.  Which means knowing what goes into your body and making sure it's not a banned substance.

I've been thinking about this. On the one hand, she's 15, not 5 and presumably not a total dumbass. Then there's the fact that she's competing for ROC, not Russia, which should be a big honking clue that something is fucked up with your country and you probably should not trust a damn thing about it.

On the other hand, she's a young athlete and that involves a whole different mindset. She's putting her faith in her coaches and presumably her parents have put their faith in the coaches as well to do what's best for her. They don't think Eteri would do anything to harm her. It's like football players in the US who don't think they're disposable. Kamila sees Alina and Evgenia get fucked up, but her mindset is that it's on them, not on Eteri. And maybe she knows the dangers of what she's doing, but she's willing to take the risk -- just like football players in the US who know about concussion and CTE but they're willing to take the risk.

Added to all this, speaking as an American, I have zero clue about how brainwashing and propaganda works in places like Russia and China. They play the victim and act like the world is out to get them. Their media is censored; their social media is also different from ours. They have a completely different worldview and it's hard for us as Americans (or Canadians, or any Westerners) to put ourselves in their shoes.

[Lady Whistleup]

1 minute ago, Minneapple said:

I've been thinking about this. On the one hand, she's 15, not 5 and presumably not a total dumbass. Then there's the fact that she's competing for ROC, not Russia, which should be a big honking clue that something is fucked up with your country and you probably should not trust a damn thing about it.

On the other hand, she's a young athlete and that involves a whole different mindset. She's putting her faith in her coaches and presumably her parents have put their faith in the coaches as well to do what's best for her. They don't think Eteri would do anything to harm her. It's like football players in the US who don't think they're disposable. Kamila sees Alina and Evgenia get fucked up, but her mindset is that it's on them, not on Eteri. And maybe she knows the dangers of what she's doing, but she's willing to take the risk -- just like football players in the US who know about concussion and CTE but they're willing to take the risk.

I saw an interview with Katia Gordeeva, who was asked if her parents were allowed to watch her practices. (Her coach then was the infamously abusive Zhuk.) She seemed surprised and said of course not, "my parents trusted the coach. If they were concerned about something they could call him, but otherwise, they trusted him."

This level of blind trust from the parents seems super naive, but I'd gather it's probably the way it is in Russia. I know that Eteri even banned Alina Zagitova's mother from coming to Moscow to live with her. There's many tearful videos of Zagitova in practice saying she missed her mother.

I think the Eteri girls are probably given injections and told not to ask questions.

[choclatechip45]

Part of the issue is IOC made a huge mess of the situation. They should have been more transparent from the start. I don't like that the press is harassing Kamilia, but if they weren't being as forceful we still wouldn't have received any information. 

Just now, Lady Whistleup said:

I saw an interview with Katia Gordeeva, who was asked if her parents were allowed to watch her practices. (Her coach then was the infamously abusive Zhuk.) She seemed surprised and said of course not, "my parents trusted the coach. If they were concerned about something they could call him, but otherwise, they trusted him."

This level of blind trust from the parents seems super naive, but I'd gather it's probably the way it is in Russia. I know that Eteri even banned Alina Zagitova's mother from coming to Moscow to live with her. There's many tearful videos of Zagitova in practice saying she missed her mother.

I think the Eteri girls are probably given injections and told not to ask questions.

The blind trust parents in America have in coaches is insane! Jordyn Weiber's mother let Steve Penny act as her agent. If it is happening in America I can't imagine the blind trust in more authoritarian countries. 

[Minneapple]

11 minutes ago, Lady Whistleup said:

This level of blind trust from the parents seems super naive, but I'd gather it's probably the way it is in Russia. I know that Eteri even banned Alina Zagitova's mother from coming to Moscow to live with her. There's many tearful videos of Zagitova in practice saying she missed her mother.

Not just Russia, in the US, too. Parents trusted the Karolyis because they got results. I signed my daughter up for gymnastics when she was five (after Rio she wanted to be the next Simone Biles). The coaches didn't allow parents to stay in the gym during practice because we were a distraction. I pulled her out for a different gym after only a few months. She was only five! She's done gymnastics since at other gyms and now she's in figure skating which she loves. No, it's not Olympic level or any level and I don't expect that, but I get to watch her at the rink, and she's having fun so that's what matters.

I don't blame the press for asking Kamila. In the end she's the one who took the substance and if any medals are lost they will be hers (and the others on the Russian team). And there's no point in sheltering her anymore. I can only hope that Eteri is banned from coaching as her consequence, because fuck her.

Edited February 11, 2022 by Minneapple

[Lady Whistleup]

1 minute ago, Minneapple said:

Not just Russia, in the US, too. Parents trusted the Karolyis because they got results. I signed my daughter up for gymnastics when she was five (after Rio she wanted to be the next Simone Biles). The coaches didn't allow parents to stay in the gym during practice because we were a distraction. I pulled her out for a different gym after only a few months. She was only five! She's done gymnastics since at other gyms and now she's in figure skating which she loves. No, it's not Olympic level or any level and I don't expect that, but I get to watch her at the rink, and she's having fun so that's what matters.

Another example of blind trust was the parents who signed their kids up for Jerry Sandusky's The Second Mile in hopes of their kid playing football at Penn State. 

I wonder if Valieva can go to Brian Orser after she serves her suspension. I think she'd be a good fit. Brian only takes students who already have rock-solid technique. Valieva has that.

[Jeddah]

I hope she doesn’t go to Orser, or anywhere. She’s a gorgeous skater for sure, and I was cheering for her. But now we know that the success she’s had was because of performance enhancing drugs. How can people want her to compete after that? The sport would have no integrity at all if she competes again.

[HartofDixie]

Doping updates

https://youtu.be/xZ_BUN2-2-E

[Lady Whistleup]

Just now, Jeddah said:

I hope she doesn’t go to Orser, or anywhere. She’s a gorgeous skater for sure, and I was cheering for her. But now we know that the success she’s had was because of performance enhancing drugs. How can people want her to compete after that? The sport would have no integrity at all if she competes again.

Most PED bans are not for life, but for a few years. Say she gets a 1-2 year ban, she'll have served her time. And she'll only be 17.

Lifetime bans are only given to repeat offenders.

[Jeddah]

5 minutes ago, Lady Whistleup said:

Most PED bans are not for life, but for a few years. Say she gets a 1-2 year ban, she'll have served her time. And she'll only be 17.

Lifetime bans are only given to repeat offenders.

I didn’t say what would happen. I said what I hope happens. I don’t want to see her skate again. If we want doping to stop, we need to take it seriously.

[ShellsandCheese]

12 minutes ago, Lady Whistleup said:

Most PED bans are not for life, but for a few years. Say she gets a 1-2 year ban, she'll have served her time. And she'll only be 17.

Lifetime bans are only given to repeat offenders.

Yeah. No need for a lifetime ban for a 15 year old with one bad test. Anywho, I feel like it’s only a matter of time before someone steps forward to be the fall guy or gal. No way is Eteri going down for this and the Russian alphabet agencies are going to fight hard for Kamila. 

I think she’s a darn good skater and you can’t take that away from her, even if her coaches were giving her something to help whatever it helps. There’s no drug out there that would turn me or someone without talent into a top contender. 

That’s what makes this so sad, it wasn’t necessary. 

Edited February 11, 2022 by ShellsandCheese

[ombelico]

Things could get even more interesting since the U.S. now has a law that allows for prosecution of non-Americans whose doping violations affect American athletes (which is absolutely the case here): 

https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/us-anti-doping-act-should-be-used-beijing-games-usadas-tygart-2022-02-11/

[Minneapple]

Doping is way way more common in track and track athletes serve their suspensions and come back all the time. Justin Gatlin for example, who was suspended twice, once for freaking testosterone. I don't think a lifetime ban would be necessary in Kamila's case.

The real villain of the piece is Eteri. Make sure she never coaches again.

[ShellsandCheese]

2 minutes ago, ombelico said:

Things could get even more interesting since the U.S. now has a law that allows for prosecution of non-Americans whose doping violations affect American athletes (which is absolutely the case here): 

https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/us-anti-doping-act-should-be-used-beijing-games-usadas-tygart-2022-02-11/

Only if they go after adults; they would be assholes to after a 15 year old kid. I would also argue that this particular instance didn’t effect American athletes that much; by that I mean sub out Kamila for Anna or some other Russian skater and chances are results are the same. 

[anniebird]

So this is all as a result of a test from December which means she shouldn't have been permitted to skate in the European Championships or the Olympics but it's my understanding that they're tested regularly at the Olympics - have those tests been clean?

[ShellsandCheese]

4 minutes ago, anniebird said:

So this is all as a result of a test from December which means she shouldn't have been permitted to skate in the European Championships or the Olympics but it's my understanding that they're tested regularly at the Olympics - have those tests been clean?

Yes. All parties have said that all of her tests outside of the sample from 12/25 have been clean……including tests done right before the Olympics and initial testing at the games. And test done right before and after the 12/25 sample was taken. 

Also, heads should roll at the Swedish lab. I don’t care if it is COVID. Every sample from Russian athletes should be tested right away. And a six week delay in getting that 12/25 sample is bullshit; I’m also curious to know if the B sample has been tested and what the results were.

Edited February 11, 2022 by ShellsandCheese

[absnow54]

4 minutes ago, ShellsandCheese said:

I’m also curious to know if the B sample has been tested and what the results were.

It's hard to keep up with all the information that was dumped last night, but I want to say the lab stated they would have the results of the B sample within 24 hours. 

[ombelico]

11 minutes ago, ShellsandCheese said:

Only if they go after adults; they would be assholes to after a 15 year old kid. I would also argue that this particular instance didn’t effect American athletes that much; by that I mean sub out Kamila for Anna or some other Russian skater and chances are results are the same. 

There's no chance the U.S. would try to prosecute Valieva but going after Team Eteri and other adults involved? Fair game.

Also there are American athletes impacted right now as they haven't been able to get the medals that they earned, and at the rate this is going there's a chance the medal ceremony might not even be able to happen during the Olympics. They are being robbed of their podium moment, even if the color of the medal doesn't change.

Edited February 11, 2022 by ombelico

[Crs97]

The argument can’t be that if they had subbed for Kamila the Russians would probably have won anyway.  No point in having the competition at all if you are just going to assume one would have beaten the other.

[BlackberryJam]

21 minutes ago, ShellsandCheese said:

Yes. All parties have said that all of her tests outside of the sample from 12/25 have been clean……including tests done right before the Olympics and initial testing at the games. And test done right before and after the 12/25 sample was taken. 

Also, heads should roll at the Swedish lab. I don’t care if it is COVID. Every sample from Russian athletes should be tested right away. And a six week delay in getting that 12/25 sample is bullshit; I’m also curious to know if the B sample has been tested and what the results were.

I don't know the details of the Swedish lab, but I am familiar with local labs who do drug testing. Athlete tests get bumped for tests involving criminal prosecution, child custody, employment (specifically for teachers, law enforcement and people who work around children.) On top of that, I'm sure Sweden wanted to clear their own athletes first. With COVID, reagents necessary for testing are sometimes in short supply. 

There is plenty of blame to go around regarding this situation, but the Swedish lab techs likely share little of it. 

Edited February 11, 2022 by BlackberryJam

[absnow54]

Is the lab processing tests for every single athlete in the Olympics? I've heard that Figure Skating is low on the drug testing totem poll, as it isn't a common sport to have a lot of doping. I think her sample was run when it was because she had just won a medal and needed to b cleared. 

[ShellsandCheese]

15 minutes ago, Crs97 said:

The argument can’t be that if they had subbed for Kamila the Russians would probably have won anyway.  No point in having the competition at all if you are just going to assume one would have beaten the other.

But in this case it’s mostly true, or maybe Japan would have won Gold. The US women aren’t on the same level with any of the Russians or the Japanese skaters. I’m not saying that to excuse Kamila or doping; I’m just being honest. 
 

Is the lab processing tests for every single athlete in the Olympics? I've heard that Figure Skating is low on the drug testing totem poll, as it isn't a common sport to have a lot of doping. I think her sample was run when it was because she had just won a medal and needed to be cleared.

The sample in question was not taken at the Olympics - it was taken back in December during Russian Nationals. The sample was sent to a Swedish lab because Russia is not allowed to process their own samples.

Edited February 11, 2022 by ShellsandCheese

[absnow54]

Just now, ShellsandCheese said:

But in this case it’s mostly true, or maybe Japan would have won Gold. The US women aren’t on the same level with any of the Russians or the Japanese skaters. I’m not saying that to excuse Kamila or doping; I’m just being honest. 

Without Kamila Japan may have won Silver over US, but there's no way they would have topped Russia. Russia is too strong across Pairs and Ice Dancing, and even without Kamila, they would have scored an 8 or 9 in ladies, at worst. 

[SeanC]

11 hours ago, legaleagle53 said:

AND what does this mean for OUR ladies' chances of at least making the podium? I'm not watching for the Russians, you know!

4 hours ago, absnow54 said:

It opens a place on the podium for Japan. US ladies are looking for a top 10 finish, at best. If Alysa lands her 3A, she may sneak into Top 5. 

I would say the most likely contenders for the third podium place would be (in order):

1.  Kaori Sakamoto

2.  Loena Hendrickx

3.  Wakaba Higuchi

4.  Young You

[backgroundnoise]

I say let's just have Karnecki come in and analyze all possible scenarios and declare the winners!  No actual skating needed.

[HartofDixie]

 

[Rootbeer]

1 hour ago, absnow54 said:

Gross to be harassing a 15 year old. I don't like that AP is plastering a bunch of pictures of her looking distraught. Kamila is not the issue here. She should not be the image here. It's the corruption of the ROC, RUSADA, and Team Tutberidze that should be the focus. 

In general, this is true.  HOWEVER, this young lady is competing in a sport at an adult level with other adults.  She is more than happy to smile and pose for pictures when she wins, she will give plenty of sound bites then.  While I don't believe the decision to dope was hers or that she had a lot of options when it happened; I do believe she knew and is perfectly capable of answering 'no comment' just as any actual adult would do.

It's true that she is merely the face of systemic corruption of the entire Russian sports world; but that's how it is.  Now, if any of the adults who were complicit in this would perhaps give her some guidance as to how to handle the press, what to say or even to walk across the press line with her; that would be great, but I disagree that she shouldn't be questioned by the press.

Edited February 11, 2022 by Rootbeer

[TexasGal]

47 minutes ago, ShellsandCheese said:

Yes. All parties have said that all of her tests outside of the sample from 12/25 have been clean……including tests done right before the Olympics and initial testing at the games. And test done right before and after the 12/25 sample was taken. 

Also, heads should roll at the Swedish lab. I don’t care if it is COVID. Every sample from Russian athletes should be tested right away. And a six week delay in getting that 12/25 sample is bullshit; I’m also curious to know if the B sample has been tested and what the results were.

That is assuming the samples were delivered to the lab in a timely manner.  Perhaps the samples were "held up" in delivery in the hopes they wouldn't get tested until after she'd skated in the Olympics.  I mean, if it had been what - a week later? - she's already be done.

[Jane Tuesday]

Random thoughts (I can't keep up with the thread):

If being a minor is allowed to remove personal responsibility from the athlete, then minors should not be allowed to compete.

Athletes are ultimately responsible for what they ingest, but I do think they tend to be very naïve and far too trusting of coaches and trainers.  These athletes are likely on a cocktail of supplements and pain killers.  Competing at this level - along with the travel, extreme eating regimens, etc. - can wreck your body.  All that to say, I'm not surprised at all that an athlete wouldn't really know what they're taking and whether it's currently banned or not.

I don't assume all top athletes dope, but there's not a single athlete that I would swear isn't.  I used to follow cycling, and I loved Tyler Hamilton.  I would have fought anyone who said that he doped, and when he had his first positive test, I had every reason in the book why it had to be a false positive.  Then he tested positive again, and it was heartbreaking.  Now, of course, we know he was doping - and testing clean - FOR YEARS.  Along with Lance Armstrong and all the other top cyclists.  Negative tests mean nothing to me.  :(

[TexasGal]

3 minutes ago, backgroundnoise said:

I say let's just have Karnecki come in and analyze all possible scenarios and declare the winners!  No actual skating needed.

No more Karnecki!!!

[Rootbeer]

22 minutes ago, ShellsandCheese said:

. The sample was sent to a Swedish lab because Russia is not allowed to process their own samples.

Which is utterly ridiculous since they are allowed to receive those results and decide what to do about them.  Hence, the suspension, un-suspension of Kamila over a 24 hour period.  There needs to be oversight of the entire process.

[Lady Whistleup]

1 minute ago, Jane Tuesday said:

I don't assume all top athletes dope, but there's not a single athlete that I would swear isn't.  I used to follow cycling, and I loved Tyler Hamilton.  I would have fought anyone who said that he doped, and when he had his first positive test, I had every reason in the book why it had to be a false positive.  Then he tested positive again, and it was heartbreaking.  Now, of course, we know he was doping - and testing clean - FOR YEARS.  Along with Lance Armstrong and all the other top cyclists.  Negative tests mean nothing to me.  :(

Along the same lines ... I used to love Tyson Gay. He was also very vocal about being anti-doping. Then he also got caught, and admitted he "put trust in the wrong person."

I also side-eye athletes who recover from huge injuries in a few months. Steroids can be used for faster muscle recovery. Like yeah, it was cool that Artur Dalolyan came back from an Achilles rupture in three months, but it makes you wonder.

[Jeddah]

You really can’t ever know what would have happened. Before the competition everyone in the world thought the US was a lock for women’s gymnastics gold, and turns out they weren’t! We don’t know how another skater would have done. In 2018 nobody thought Nathan would bomb in the team competition. I love, love, love Mirai, but I never thought she’d rise to the occasion like that and beat Kaori and Carolina Kostner in the team competition. This time I don’t think anyone predicted the US winning both times in ice dance. We don’t know for certain how Anna and Sasha would have skated. It’s not guaranteed that Russia would have won no matter what.

[Good Queen Jane]

Enough with the doping! There is more skating to watch. It's interesting that, other than the Free Dance, the rest of the skating competitions will take place in the evening in China which means the live skating will be broadcast in the wee hours of the morning in the USA. Of course, realistically Dance is the only other place the USA has a chance to medal. Funny how that worked out for NBC.

Rhythm Dance starts tomorrow. The start order is up. Interesting that P/C are in the second to last group. I assume that is because their world ranking is down since they didn't compete last year. I wonder if the judges will give them an outrageous score so as to have room to place the skaters in the last group under them. 

[absnow54]

1 minute ago, Good Queen Jane said:

Of course, realistically Dance is the only other place the USA has a chance to medal. Funny how that worked out for NBC.

The Free Dance is airing after the Super Bowl! Crazy coincidence! 

[proserpina65]

On 2/9/2022 at 11:11 PM, annzeepark914 said:

I don't know about that. Sure, I think skaters who plan to use it as just background music should leave it alone. But I'd like to see a creative skater or dance team (with a great choreographer) take it on and produce a new, stunning Bolero performance.

Not possible, imo.

[Hana Chan]

1 hour ago, Lady Whistleup said:

Most PED bans are not for life, but for a few years. Say she gets a 1-2 year ban, she'll have served her time. And she'll only be 17.

The problem for Kamila is that this would, effectively, be a lifetime ban. There is a lot of talk about 17 being the "Eteri Expiration Date" since that's the age when she usually discards her aging skaters. Sadly, even if she ends up continuing her career, the age when she would be the most successful will be behind her.

It's a sad situation and while I agree that Kamila can't be held completely (or even mostly) responsible, she can't just be allowed to slide because of her age. As I said earlier, if she's old enough to compete as a senior, then she'd old enough to abide by the rules. But everyone in charge at her skating club responsible for overseeing her training and medical care need to be investigated. The problem is that if the Russians are investigating, I doubt that anything will come of it.

[ShellsandCheese]

50 minutes ago, TexasGal said:

That is assuming the samples were delivered to the lab in a timely manner.  Perhaps the samples were "held up" in delivery in the hopes they wouldn't get tested until after she'd skated in the Olympics.  I mean, if it had been what - a week later? - she's already be done.

In theory but results can be voided for up to ten years after competition. So this doesn’t serve anyones purpose either…..