Figure Skating Thread (Olympic Spoilers/Discussion starting at post #16)

[KristyJ]

There’s some conjecture that RUSADA found something because there’s actually a hearing scheduled, but no matter what the findings someone somewhere will probably appeal, whether it’s the FIG or IOC, or Camilla herself, or some other group.

 

[Doug1233]

What’s her official explanation these days? Is it still she accidentally took her grandfathers heart medication?

 

[Yarotska]

Jason Brown’s ability to place top 10 in every world and Olympic competition he’s ever been in without a consistent quad seems to have created some lasting impact within the US men’s program. Their junior men are all very pleasant to watch. Lucas (pronounced Luca) Broussard just won the first junior men’s Grand Prix in Poland.

 

[Yarotska]

After not being given two assignments on the Junior Grand Prix circuit, Broussard was substituted in at the final event in Egna, Italy. He won by the skin of his teeth and sits at the top of the rankings for the Junior Grand Prix final. He’s the only skater to win two events this season. He received the highest PCS on both days of competition.



Shunsuke Nakamura won the free skate but his PCS couldn’t keep him above Broussard



Third place was last week’s winner Takeru Amine Kataise, who moved up after a weaker showing in the short. Not as good as last week by a longshot, but it was pretty much a splatfest today.


All three are qualified to the Junior Grand Prix final, which should be a fantastic competition.

 

[Seyonne]

So RUSADA isn’t publishing their findings because Kamila is a protected person due to her age. So , I guess we’ll never know

 

[makam]

Welp, there you go then. Close the book. Award the medals. Begin(continue) the doping of children because they are nonpunishable…

 

[irichluck21]

Which is why the minimum age will be raised.

 

[J175]

In Skating. Not so for a certain other sport also likely to see 15 year old Russian girls competing at the very highest level.

 

[makam]

Raise age limits across the frickin’ board. I don’t want to see 13 year old divers or skateboarders either. Set minimum Olympic age at 18 and state that they are personally responsible/will face the consequences for anything that shows up from 16+. So no peeing positive at 17 years 364 days and getting a pass.

I would personally never sign up for an Olympic level sport (not that I have any talent at anything) because I don’t pee well on command but make the requirements and the responsibilities and the consequences just part of the job if you want to participate. Cost of entry is that anything from age 16 on is actionable but you don’t get to actually compete at the Olympics until you hit 18. It might slow down the rush to abuse kids into being peak for exactly one year of their life and then broken from then on.

 

[dweiss324]

^That is… Profoundly logical. Well put.

 

[makam]

Additionally: competing in other events at 16+ on the senior level (Grand Prix, World Championships, etc) would be allowed to help build the baseline of tests/testing and give them some experience if they wish but if the Olympics happen when you are 17 and you are the reigning World Champion, you are shit outta luck. And none of the “turning 18 in the year of the Olympics” stuff. If you aren’t considered a full adult and “responsible” for your own choices during the actual competition (and I know that “adulthood” varies from country to country so picking the average age and holding everyone who competes to that standard or just being US-centric and going with 18 ), you don’t go. Sucks but there you are–pace yourself to catch the next one.)

Okay, everyone vote me in charge of the Olympics. I got some cleaning up to do!

 

[Doug1233]

Malinin’s 4A was beautiful!

 

[KristyJ]

I would go further- I would call “junior” 16 and make 17 the transitional age. Then you avoid the problem of “world champion can’t compete” as well as the problem of unpunishable doping in the high level international junior ranks.

I fully expect the IOC or WADA or ISU (or all three) to take RUSADA to the Court of Arbitration for Sport over the lack of information on Valieva, though.

And that 4A was stunning.

 

[ucrgirl]

Well, if their findings had given reason to say that Valieva was innocent we would have heard about it even with her protected status as a minor.

So I think we basically know.

 

[tsarinajen]

Isn’t there supposed to be a hearing anyway on Valieva after the investigation is concluded?

 

[Doug1233]

How on earth could she ever be found innocent?

 

[rlayt]

Depends on the Russian authorities’ definition of innocent.

 

[makam]

I think she could be found innocent but still culpable. If her coach is handing her a gatorade full of drugs, well, she can’t be expected to know but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have to face the consequences of her coach’s bad decision (not saying that is how it went down, just creating a scenario).

Unfortunately, the closest analogy I know of is in gymnastics and while I think that pretty much everyone thinks at this stage that Raducan should have kept her medal, I’m personally not there yet with Vaileva. Raducan at least had a plausible explanation. If they went back and retested any previous samples, it would be interesting to see if there were the drugs or any masking agents found now that they knew what to look for. Or if they tested her now (if she is not currently competing/training) and compared baselines. (I’m not actually sure that is a thing, I’m not a doctor/scientist.)

 

[Doug1233]

I think the difference with Raducan is that they didn’t try to lie and cover it up. The doctor put his hands up and admitted he fucked up, right?

The lie and the stupid attempts at a coverup/preposterous “Grandfathers medication” explanation is worse than the rule break itself, for me.

 

[irichluck21]

The lie and the stupid attempts at a coverup/preposterous “Grandfathers medication” explanation is worse than the rule break itself, for me.

THIS.

Valieva made up some excuse about grandad’s meds.