Paris Olympics 2024: Doping Takes Away Another Russian Medal As Ekaterina Guliyev Stands Disqualified

The ongoing problem of doping continues to be a concern, within the realm of sports. Yet the organizers of the Paris Olympics are taking measures to guarantee that the Games are clean and devoid of any doping violations. Back in 2019, WADA instated a four-year suspension on Russia from partaking in sporting competitions due to doping protocols. Nonetheless, this sanction was subsequently lessened to a two-year ban in 2020 by the Court of Arbitration.

However, in recent times, high-profile cases such as Kamila Valieva, who committed an anti-doping rule violation and on 29 January was suspended for four years, backdated to 2021. Most recently, the news of a potential ban for the winner of the 2012 London Olympics underscores the ongoing challenges and controversies surrounding doping in the realm of athletics.

Potential revocation of Olympic silver medal

According to recent news on X, the involvement of Ekaterina Poistogova Guliyev in a doping scandal linked to the women’s 800m at the London 2012 Olympics. The 33-year-old athlete, who previously represented Russia but later switched to Turkey has been handed a four-year ban by the Russian Athletics Federation (RusAF) for doping violations. RusAF has announced the nullification of all Poistogova Guliyev results from July 2012 to October 2014 after she was found guilty of using prohibited substances based on evidence, from the Moscow doping laboratory.

Ekaterina Poistogova’s path, to the 2012 Olympic final took a turn when she moved up to the silver medal position following Russian athlete Mariya Savinova’s disqualification for doping violations. Her journey faced challenges amidst doping controversies with the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) proposing a lifetime ban and the stripping of her London medal, in 2015.

Despite facing a two-year suspension from the Court of Arbitration, for Sport (CAS) in 2017 which nullified her results in October 2015, Poistogova Guliyev successfully held onto her Olympic achievement. The International Olympic Committee now holds the authority to decide on the forfeiture and redistribution of medals. They are currently not available, for comment.

If Poistogova Guliyev loses her medal, Pamela Jelimo from Kenya would move up to the position while Alysia Montano from the United States would claim the bronze. This situation highlights the history of women’s middle distance events at the London Olympics, which have been overshadowed by doping controversies leading to sanctions for athletes including three out of the eight finalists, in the 800m race. However, a few months back an Olympic gymnast was also banned.

Kamila Valieva’s banned ahead of Paris Olympics

A few months back, CAS disclosed that Kamila Valieva, the banned Russian figure skater, had been administered 56 medications, nutritional supplements, and dietary additives over two years, from January 2020 to December 2021, during her adolescence between ages 13 and 15.

At the age of 17 Valieva was potentially facing a four year suspension, from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in January after testing positive for the banned heart medication trimetazidine before the 2022 Winter Olympics. Despite an inquiry by the Russian Anti Doping Agency (RUSADA) clearing Valieva of any blame or negligence regarding her failed test CAS supported WADAs appeal leading to criticism from WADA, over what it described as an “case of doping involving a minor.

Read More: Days After Doping Ban, Kamila Valieva Breaks Silence