Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva has had her authorization to participate internationally as a neutral athlete withdrawn, according to a source familiar with the matter. This development in Valieva’s career follows controversies surrounding her positive drug test during the 2022 Beijing Olympics over four years ago.
Initially, Valieva was granted neutral status under a new regulation by the International Skating Union for the current season, which indicated that skaters from Russia and Belarus were considered eligible unless they met disqualifying criteria. However, concerns arose about a possible violation of the criteria that prohibits skaters from obtaining neutral status if they had previously supported Russia’s actions in Ukraine, resulting in the revocation of Valieva’s status.
Russian male skater Mark Kondratiuk, who competed alongside Valieva at the 2022 Olympics, also had his neutral status rescinded. Both athletes have appealed the decision to the ISU, with a ruling expected by the middle of the following week. If the decision stands, they can further appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The identities of the individuals involved were not disclosed due to the confidential nature of such cases. The Russian media first reported the withdrawal of Valieva’s status, and she has not made any public statements regarding the matter.
The ISU had previously prohibited skaters from Russia and Belarus in 2022 following the conflict in Ukraine. Although a limited number of athletes were allowed to compete in the Milan Cortina Olympics and a preceding qualifying event, no Russian figure skaters secured medals.
For the current season, the ISU has removed restrictions on the number of spots available for neutral athletes, presuming their eligibility unless proven otherwise. The regulations specify that skaters may be denied neutral status if they have military affiliations, engaged in military activities against Ukraine, or actively supported the conflict since 2022.
In the 2022 Beijing Olympics doping case, Valieva, then 15 years old, faced legal scrutiny after testing positive for a banned substance in a sample given two months prior. Following her disqualification from the team event, the United States and Japan were upgraded to gold and silver, respectively. Valieva, once a top contender for the women’s gold medal, finished fourth and received criticism from her coach, Eteri Tutberidze.
After serving a ban that concluded in December 2025, Valieva resumed competing in domestic Russian competitions. The rules were subsequently revised to raise the minimum age requirement to 17 for skaters participating in the recent Milan Cortina Olympics.