Furious Adam Rippon slices Olympic doping scandal with two very strong words
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.”Related: Adam Rippon slams fellow skater over transphobic commentsValieva 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.
