MOSCOW, May 5, Andrey Simonenko.The Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA), investigating the case of the Russian figure skater, the champion of the team tournament at the Beijing Olympics Kamila Valieva, strictly follows the requirements of the World Anti-Doping Code and international standards, RUSADA Director General Veronika Loginova said. After the team tournament of the Olympics, it became known that Valieva passed 25 December last year a positive doping test. The figure skater at that time was 15 years old, according to the anti-doping code, in this regard, she has the status of a «protected person». This week, the head of the US National Olympic Committee, Sarah Hirshland, commenting on the words of Russian President Vladimir Putin that Valieva could not achieve her results «with the help of some additional means, manipulations», questioned the objectivity of RUSADA's investigation into the figure skater's case. RUSADA clearly follows the provisions of regulatory documents, namely the requirements of the World Anti-Doping Code and international standards, which indicate the need for a confidential investigation. It takes time to conduct a thorough investigation, of course, the investigation continues, «said Loginova, whose quotes were provided by the press by the RUSADA service in response to a request for comment on the statements of the head of the US NOC. The statement of the RUSADA CEO emphasizes that «the provisions of the World Anti-Doping Code and the All-Russian Anti-Doping Rules require us, as a national anti-doping organization, to conduct a mandatory investigations against Athlete Support Personnel when an anti-doping rule violation is committed by a protected person.» «We conduct an investigation to identify all the circumstances of a possible anti-doping rule violation on behalf of a protected person, to identify persons involved in this violation (or to exclude possible involvement), and collect additional materials and evidence relevant to this case. I would like to once again draw attention to the fact that the athlete is a protected person and further comments on the investigation process not only violate the rights of the athlete, but also impede the conduct of the investigation, taking into account the principles of confidentiality and efficiency,» RUSADA Director General noted.
