Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva has lost her authorization to participate in international competitions as a neutral competitor, according to an individual familiar with the matter. This development follows a series of controversies surrounding Valieva’s positive drug test during the 2022 Beijing Olympics more than four years ago.
Initially, Valieva was granted neutral status based on a new regulation by the International Skating Union (ISU) for this season, which presumed skaters from Russia and Belarus as eligible unless they met disqualifying criteria. However, her neutral status was rescinded due to concerns about a potential violation of the criteria that prohibits skaters from receiving neutral status if they have shown support for Russia’s actions in Ukraine.
The same action has been taken regarding Russian men’s skater Mark Kondratiuk, who competed alongside Valieva at the 2022 Olympics. Both athletes have appealed the decision to the ISU, with a final ruling expected by mid-next week. If the decision remains unchanged, they have the option to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The revocation of Valieva’s status was initially reported by Russian media, and Valieva herself has not commented on the situation. The ISU had previously banned skaters from Russia and Belarus in 2022 following the conflict in Ukraine. However, for the current season, the ISU has removed the limit on the number of neutral athletes and has introduced a presumption of eligibility unless proven otherwise.
The ISU guidelines specify that skaters may be refused neutral status if they have military or security affiliations, have engaged in military activities against Ukraine, or have openly supported the conflict since 2022.
In a separate incident during the 2022 Beijing Olympics, Valieva, then 15 years old, was embroiled in a doping scandal when a previous drug test returned positive for the banned substance trimetazidine. This revelation led to her disqualification from the team event, where she had initially won gold with her Russian teammates. Subsequently, the United States team was awarded the gold medal. Valieva, who was considered a top contender for the women’s individual gold, finished fourth and faced criticism from her coach, Eteri Tutberidze.
Following a ban that concluded in December 2025, Valieva has resumed competing in Russian competitions. The rules were later modified to raise the minimum age requirement for skaters to 17 in time for the recent Milan Cortina Olympics.
