WADA chief says Valieva case highlights low trust in Russian anti-doping

FILE PHOTO: 2022 Beijing Olympics - Figure Skating - Women Single Skating - Free Skating - Capital Indoor Stadium, Beijing, China - February 17, 2022. Kamila Valieva of the Russian Olympic Committee reacts after her performance. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez/File Photo

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (Reuters) - The head of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said on Tuesday that trust in Russia's anti-doping system remained low, citing the handling of the doping case of Olympic figure skater Kamila Valieva.

Valieva tested positive for the banned substance trimetazidine at the Russian national championships in December 2021 as a 15-year-old. The result of her test, however, was only made known on Feb. 8, 2022, a day after she helped her team win a gold medal at the Beijing Olympics.