Kamila Valieva has been at the center of the 2022 Beijing Olympics. Thursday morning, the world watched in anticipation to see if she would win the women's singles figure skating event.
Valieva stumbled four times during her performance in the free program, and after leading the field after the short program with 82.16 points, she collected only 141.93 in the free program, dropping her all the way from first to fourth. Because she was no longer in medal range, the Olympics were able to celebrate the victors as ROC's Anna Shcherbakova was first, ROC's Aleksandra Trusova was second and Japan's Kaori Sakamoto was third.
As the score for Valieva was announced, NBC's broadcast duo of Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir reacted to the news that there would be a medal ceremony for the three winners.
"Thank God," Weir said.
"Thank goodness for all the other medalists to have that moment," Lipinski said. Weir responded, "And to have done it cleanly."
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Valieva and the ROC won a team gold medal earlier in Beijing after she became the first woman to land a quadruple jump to secure a score of 178.92. But it was revealed after the ROC won that the 15-year-old had tested positive for trimetazidine, a banned heart medication, in December. She was briefly suspended by the Russian Anti-Doping Agency, but the decision was reversed.
Valieva and the ROC were forced to wait to see whether she could compete in her next event until a ruling was made by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. She was cleared to compete, but the International Olympic Committee determined that if she finished in the top three, there would not be a medal ceremony.
After the short program on Tuesday, her score of 82.16 put her nearly eight points above the fourth-place skater.
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Valieva never found a consistent rhythm on the ice in the pivotal free program on Thursday. She fell four times, and as she left the ice, she was emotional as she went to the kiss-and-cry section, where her scores were read out.
"I can't imagine how tough this has been on Kamila and it makes me angry that the adults around her weren't able to make better decisions and guide her and be there for her because she's the one now dealing with the consequences and she's just 15 and that's not fair," Lipinski said during the skate.
After Valieva's scores were announced, NBC's Terry Gannon said, "And here's hoping there is someone to put their arms around that young woman and guide her." Lapinski described the scene as "devastating" and Weir called it, "heartbreaking."
Instead of a flower ceremony, the top three athletes were handed toy pandas. As Valieva left, she did not speak to any reporters, according to The New York Times.
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Valieva's teammates, though both earning medals, were clearly distraught at her performance.
Johnny Weir's instant translation of Alexandra Trusova saying, “I can’t see this, I won’t see this," in front of a bawling Kamila Valieva. What an unforgettable scene.
— Nick Zaccardi (@nzaccardi) February 17, 2022
God. Poor Anna Shcherbakova sitting by herself because her entire team is melting down, and there’s no one to even pretend to care for her. Kamila and a Sasha in ruins. Nothing good here. Nothing, nothing, nothing. pic.twitter.com/MbCMq4zKB6
— Shady Tennell (@PettyOkino) February 17, 2022
Lots of emotions from Sasha Trusova right now - in the mixed, she reportedly said in Russian, "I hate everyone, I hate this sport."#Beijing2022 #figureskating
— Jackie Wong (@rockerskating) February 17, 2022
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After the skate, viewers reacted to Valieva's performance and the decision by the CAS to allow her to compete after having previously said that preventing her from skating "would cause her irreparable harm in the circumstances."
Very traumatizing Olympic experience for Kamila Valieva. She should not have been allowed to compete, it’s devastating that she was put in this situation, on all levels.
— Polina Edmunds (@PolinaEdmunds) February 17, 2022
What happened to Kamila Valieva today was HORRIFYING and her not making the podium CANNOT mean that we sweep everything under the rug now and save face.
— Fran (@Fran_klymydear) February 17, 2022
IOC and ISU need to do something about the horrible abuse and corruption in this sport.
good job CAS you guys managed to irreparably traumatize a 15 year old girl. i guarantee you kamila is not going to forget this experience any time soon
— 🌩 (@rikakihira) February 17, 2022
I think Kamila Valieva competing here might be more "irreparable harm" than if they had just suspended her. This is hard to watch.
— marie hates eteri tutberidze (@annarodionovas) February 17, 2022
Kamila Valieva has been subject to abuse by her coaches and Russian federation yet remains in the control of those same people. Brutal scene. Worse reality.
— Dan Wetzel (@DanWetzel) February 17, 2022
Never forget that Kamila is a victim. Anyone who is gleeful in her falling needs to redirect all that energy to the coaching team, they deserve all the hell for doing this is a child. Eteri should be in the headlines right now, not Kamila.
— Jen // team nastya (@mao_sendtweet) February 17, 2022
That was a tough skate from Kamila Valieva in Beijing.
— Inside Skating (@insideskating) February 17, 2022
And that was more "irreparable harm" done to her than if you didn't let her compete in the first place.