Former U.S. figure skater Adam Rippon has labeled the women’s figure skating competition at the 2022 Winter Olympics “a complete joke” after the Court of Arbitration for Sport decided to allow Russia’s Kamila Valieva, 15, to remain in competition despite a failed drug test.
In a series of tweets culminating with a succinct “f**k this,” Rippon argued that Valieva should be disqualified and banned from the Games. He also expressed empathy for the star skater, laying blame on Russia.
“Every other athlete in this competition is having their whole Olympic experience altered to accommodate an athlete with a FAILED test,” tweeted Rippon, who won bronze in Pyeongchang in 2018 and is coaching U.S. figure skater Mariah Bell at the Games this year. “The entire ROC should not be here. They’ve exploited a child for results and continue to cheat and suffer no consequences.”
“None of this is fair,” the out Olympian added. “You can be heartbroken for this 15 year old girl and at the same time be heartbroken that every other skater in this event will have to compete knowing that the competition is not clean.”
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Related: Adam Rippon slams fellow skater over transphobic comments
Valieva helped the ROC win gold in the team figure skating event earlier in the Games. The International Olympic Committee announced on Monday that it will hold off on a medal ceremony for the event until Valieva’s case is resolved, which could take months. It will also not hold a ceremony for the individual women’s event if she scores in the top three.
“I am so angry,” wrote Rippon. “The ladies event tomorrow is a complete joke. It’s not a real competition and it most likely won’t even have a medal ceremony. So many Olympic experiences stolen from clean athletes who got here without the help of performance enhancing drugs. What a shame.”
Sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson, who was disqualified from the Tokyo Summer Games after testing positive for cannabis, also criticized the decision. Richardson said at the time she used the banned substance to cope with the recent death of her mother.
“Can we get a solid answer on the difference of [Valieva’s] situation and mines?” Richardson tweeted. “My mother died and I can’t run and was also favored to place top 3. The only difference I see is I’m a black young lady.”
Here’s Rippon’s full thread:
If they are truly worried about the irreparable harm, set her up with proper counseling to deal with the incredibly sad situation she finds herself in and SEND HER HOME. The irreparable harm that will be done is to the entire Olympic Games. She shouldn’t be allowed to compete. https://t.co/6CjoRJ8l0B
— Adam Rippon (@AdamRippon) February 14, 2022
Every other athlete in this competition is having their whole Olympic experience altered to accommodate an athlete with a FAILED test. The entire ROC should not be here. They’ve exploited a child for results and continue to cheat and suffer no consequences.
— Adam Rippon (@AdamRippon) February 14, 2022
None of this is fair. You can be heartbroken for this 15 year old girl and at the same time be heartbroken that every other skater in this event will have to compete knowing that the competition is not clean.
— Adam Rippon (@AdamRippon) February 14, 2022
The infuriating fact is that everything that makes Kami an amazing skater (spins, flow, flexibility) none of it can come from a drug. But, her team didn’t want to play by the rules.
— Adam Rippon (@AdamRippon) February 14, 2022
I am so angry. The ladies event tomorrow is a complete joke. It’s not a real competition and it most likely won’t even have a medal ceremony. So many Olympic experiences stolen from clean athletes who got here without the help of performance enhancing drugs. What a shame.
— Adam Rippon (@AdamRippon) February 14, 2022
Fuck this.
— Adam Rippon (@AdamRippon) February 14, 2022
Mister P
America’s sweetheart Adam is absolutely right!
ShiningSex
Kamila doesn’t deserve to participate. Very suspect as to why she is allowed since a black skater was not allowed to when she failed last time.
carllonghorn
The Russians just continue to skirt the rules, and I think they figure they will eventually just wear oversight officials down. And yeah, they were right, the officials gave in! What’s the point of having the rules if you are going to allow one country to consistently get away with non-compliance?
stafcoyote
The Court of Arbitration Is a stooge for Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. They don’t want to displease the Russian autocrat, but they figure it’s perfectly OK to crap all over an African-American athlete. Institutional racism at its worst and politically most craven. This is all directly related to Russia’s saber-rattling against Ukraine. The entire thing is deplorable and contemptible. The entire Russian Olympic committee should be permanently disqualified. And I mean permanently; no more participation in the Olympics for Russia!
Fahd
Another reason that I’m not watching. I wish all the athletes the best, but I just can’t support the location and what the IOC has become.
It’s about an elite getting the gains and the local joe schmoes absorbing the costs. Enough can’t be said about the Chinese government’s human rights violations, but the IOC needs a major reform.
Just can’t enjoy it under the circumstances – let the criticism continue.
dali
Enough is enough! The entire International Olympic Committee should be disintegrated!
cuteguy
Russians ALWAYS cheat. Look at how they cheated in 2002 Winter Olympics in pairs ice skating and got away with it. They should’ve permanently banned Russian and French judges after that. The IOC have already ruined the Olympics, hence the plummeting ratings and interest. The Winter Olympics were permanently damaged when the IOC changed it to 1994 rather than keep it on track for 1996. That Olympics brought that white trash tale of Nancy and Tonya and even tho they had ratings, the quality and integrity of the sport was forever damaged. The Olympics now are almost irrelevant
nitejonboy
That’s what they get for holding it in that murderous, human rights violating country…why they expected it to be fair when they are literally allowing a banned team to play under another name ( as if that makes them less guilty ? ) is beyond me. And every facility this year looks like a dump, as does the entire city they’ve shown so far. Wtf is up with the ski jump in front of the power plant ? And the boblsed track is the dirtiest I’ve ever seen and looks like it’s been built inside of a parking garage, not to mention it’s poorly constructed and has bucked several players. The entire IOC should be forced to resign and a new one elected, this has been a disaster. I don’t know that I will ever watch again, this has tainted my view so much. So sad for those poor kids who earned this chance fair and square.
scotty
Mr. Rippon is spot on. also, he is cute AF. uunnnf!!
Jim
The IOC is a joke.
Would like to see exactly who they are kowtowing to in this case.
And why are Russian athletes are competing? we know they dope. We just don’t know to what degree.
Cam
Funny just how often Russians “accidentally” take their grandparents medicine.
Just like when America went after the FIFA executives for taking bribes, they need to examine the IOC members bank accounts to see who bribed them.