Russian Figure Skater Valieva Has Neutral Status Revoked, Source Says

Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva has had her neutral athlete status revoked, preventing her from competing internationally this year, according to a source familiar with the matter. The International Skating Union (ISU) informed Valieva of the decision via letter. The ISU declined to comment on the matter, and Valieva's representatives were unavailable for comment.

Russian athletes have been prohibited from competing under their national flag since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The ISU has created a pathway for certain athletes to compete as neutral athletes, subject to stringent vetting procedures including background checks. However, Valieva cannot be affiliated with the Russian military or security services, have participated in the conflict in Ukraine, or publicly supported that war since February 2022.

Without neutral status, skaters are ineligible to enter ISU events, earn world ranking points, or compete for global titles. Valieva, 20, was 15 when she became the focal point of a global controversy at the 2022 Olympics, following a positive test for the banned substance trimetazidine in December 2021. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) imposed a four-year ban, backdated to the Russian national championships in December 2021, where she tested positive for trimetazidine, a medication used to prevent angina attacks.