?You Can?t Talk About Double Standards?: IOC Fires Back at Sha?Carri Richardson for Calling Them Out in Kamila Valieva?s Case at Beijing Winter Olympics 2022

The Beijing Winter Olympics 2022 saw young talent, 15-year-old Kamila Valieva, land herself in trouble. But even though she failed a drug test in December, the International Olympic Committee cleared her to compete in the Games. Hence, this caused a widespread stir amongst athletes. Notably, Sha’Carri Richardson, who faced a ban on similar grounds earlier, questioned the integrity of the IOC, who let Kamila take part in the games. Now, replying to her allegations,?the IOC issued a statement.

Richardson is the sixth-fastest woman in the world and is one of the top prospects in track and field. However, when she returned a positive doping test ahead of the Tokyo Olympics 2020, she got herself banned from attending the mega-quadrennial games.

IOC responds to Sha’Carri Richardson

Following the positive test, the World Anti-Doping Agency handed her a ban for 30 days, just before the Tokyo Olympics. But unlike her, Valieva escaped punishment, after testing positive for angina drug trimetazidine, before the start of the Winter Olympics.

Wanting to get a concrete answer, Richardson took to Twitter, to question the IOC’s double standards. Richardson said, “Can we get a solid answer on the difference of her situation and mine?”

According to Yahoo Sports, the IOC gave her an answer on why the Russian athlete did not face the ban. IOC spokesperson, Mark Adams, dismissed Richardson’s claims of double standards and cleared the air between the athlete and the committee.

“You can?t talk about double standards in relation to Russian and American athletes, each case is individual. Richardson?s positive doping test was discovered on 19 June, and the result was received before the start of the Olympics. She was suspended for a month. There is nothing in common between these two cases,” said Adams.

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Valieva performs at Beijing Winter Olympics

As for Kamila Valieva, she performed well during the short program of the women’s singles figure skating competitions at the Beijing Winter Olympics. Ranking atop of the leaderboard, it is disappointing to see her Olympics marred by controversy. Notably, since due proceedings are still ongoing, there won’t be a medals ceremony for the winners of this competition.

All in all, there are many layers to this case. Determining whether IOC is right or wrong is up for debate. But, they have taken a stance on this matter and the next updates remain to be seen. Do you think Valieva deserved a ban like Sha’Carri Richardson? or was it right of the IOC to let her perform?

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