Kamila Valieva, Russia's renowned figure skater, made a notable comeback to competitive skating on Saturday in Moscow, roughly four years after her positive doping test became a focal point at the Beijing Winter Olympics. The 19-year-old athlete captured attention by executing a quadruple toeloop jump during the quarterfinals of the Russian jumping championships, an event that emphasizes jumps with a specialized scoring system rather than traditional figure skating evaluations.
Valieva's impressive quadruple jump was met with enthusiastic applause from the spectators, and she successfully secured her place in the semifinals scheduled for Sunday. Besides advancing in the singles category, she achieved a sixth-place finish in the “duets” jump competition, which is part of the unique structure of this nationally televised event.
Although Valieva is actively competing again, her eligibility for the forthcoming Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in 2026 is precluded by recently implemented age restrictions. These rule changes mandate a minimum competitor age of 17, effectively barring the now 19-year-old Valieva from contention. In her absence, fellow Russian figure skater Adeliia Petrosian has emerged as a leading candidate for the women's gold medal, participating under the designation of Individual Neutral Athlete.
The doping controversy surrounding Valieva originated when, at the age of 15, she tested positive for the prohibited substance trimetazidine. The positive result was from a sample taken two months prior to the 2022 Beijing Games and triggered prolonged legal disputes involving Valieva and sporting authorities, extending to proceedings at Switzerland's supreme court during the previous year.
The disclosure of Valieva's doping test came shortly after she and other Russian skaters had secured the team gold medal at the Beijing Olympics. Consequently, Valieva was disqualified from the team event, which resulted in the United States being elevated to the gold medal position. During the individual competition, Valieva was among the top contenders for the women's gold but concluded the event in fourth place. Post-performance, her coach, Eteri Tutberidze, was publicly critical of her showing.
After concluding the length of her enforced suspension, which officially ended in December, Valieva resumed training and competition while abiding by the terms of her ban. Alongside her return, the competition saw the participation of Alexandra Ignatova, previously known under her maiden name Alexandra Trusova. Ignatova secured the silver medal at the 2022 Olympics and this event marked her first competitive appearance following the birth of her child last year. However, she did not progress to the semifinals in this championship.