Return of Eteri Tutberidze to the Olympics Amid Controversy

The Russian figure skating coach at the heart of the doping controversy with 15-year-old Kamila Valieva will be back for the Milan-Cortina 2022 Winter Olympics.

Eteri Tutberidze, who trained Valieva during the scandal that exploded in Beijing when Valieva tested positive for the banned substance trimetazidine, has taken on a new role as Georgia’s coach for European champion Nika Egadze.

Despite significant backlash worldwide—largely due to Valieva’s status as a minor—Tutberidze faced no formal sanctions after the incident. Still, World Anti-Doping Agency President Witold Banka expressed his disappointment regarding her participation in this year’s competition.

“It’s not our choice that she’s here,” Banka remarked. “The investigation found no evidence linking her to the doping incident, so there’s no legal reason to bar her from the Olympic Games.”

However, he added, “Personally, I’m not thrilled about her being here at the Olympics.”

Valieva, now 19, tested positive for a banned substance after providing a sample in December 2021 during the Russian Championships. The incident shone a spotlight on the young athlete, who made history as the first woman to complete a quadruple jump, aiding her team in securing the ROC’s gold medal.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport cleared Valieva to continue competing post-scandal, though she received a four-year ban that just ended in December. Unfortunately, she missed out on qualifying events during her suspension, barring her from participating in Milan-Cortina.

This year, Adelia Petrosyan, another Russian skater and long-time pupil of Tutberidze, will represent the Republic of China and is considered a key contender for gold. Notably, Tutberidze’s daughter, Diana Davis, will also compete for Georgia in the ice dance category.

Figure skating events are set to kick off on Friday.