The Beijing Winter Olympics are nearing the end, and on the evening of February 19, Beijing time, the last event of figure skating - the pairs free skating competition will be held, which is also the last gold medal in the figure skating arena.
Prior to this, the champions of the team, men's singles, ice dance, and women's singles had been decided, but the award ceremony of the team competition had not been held for a long time.
The IOC said it was because Vallieva tested positive for doping, and accordingly, the IOC decided to cancel the award ceremony for the project.
In order to appease the United States, which won the runner-up, and Japan, which won the third place, the president of the International Olympic Committee personally communicated with the United States and Japan and won the recognition of the other side.
Moreover, both the American team and the Japanese team received the Olympic torch, which was a gift from the International Olympic Committee. And the Russian Olympic team that won the championship received nothing!
Regarding the IOC's approach, Russian Olympic Committee President Pozdnyakov issued a public statement, and Pozdnyakov said that the Russian Olympic Committee has sent a letter to the International Skating Federation, once again expounding the attitude of the Russian side: the results of the figure skating team competition cannot be modified under any circumstances, no matter what the final findings are!
Not only that, but Pozdnyakov also dismissed the basis for the cancellation of the award ceremony because Valieva was doping positive, and Pozdnyakov said that the results of team competitions would only be reviewed if anti-doping rules were violated during the Olympic Games. Vallieva's doping-positive sample was taken at the All-Russian Championships on December 25 last year.
Pozdnyakov has a tough tone, and if necessary, we will respond to various possible lawsuits, including those of the International Court of Arbitration for Sport, to defend the position of the Russian side.
Russian Sports Minister Oleg Matikhin revealed that the Russian side has sent a letter to the International Olympic Committee requesting an award ceremony for figure skating groups to be held before the closing of the Beijing Winter Olympics: "Before the details of the case are still undetermined and there is no 'conviction', it is necessary to hold an award ceremony!" ”
At present, the IOC has not publicly responded to the russian request.