When information from a scientific experiment that could have potentially aided Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva surfaced at the World Anti-Doping Agency, the agency’s leader’s reaction was adamant: “We have to stop that urgently,” he stated. The details from the experiment were not made public, and Valieva’s defense at the Court of Arbitration for Sport proceeded without this information. Valieva, who was 15 at the time, was later disqualified from the 2022 Winter Olympics for testing positive for a banned heart medication, sparking a controversy about the handling of the case.

Previously undisclosed information, including text messages between WADA’s director general and another agency executive discussing a potentially beneficial development for Valieva during the investigation, were disclosed to The Associated Press by anonymous sources due to fear of reprisal. The details shed light on WADA’s leadership distancing themselves from an experiment that could have supported Valieva’s contamination defense, initiated by Russia’s anti-doping agency which was noncompliant at the time.

The report’s potential impact on the case remains unknown, raising ethical concerns about the decision to suppress it. While the burden to prove contamination lies with athletes under the anti-doping code, an International Standard for Testing and Investigations recommends considering all possible outcomes, including evidence that might clear the athlete.

Questions are also raised about whether WADA’s director general and others violated the Agency’s standards regarding its Intelligence & Investigations Unit, established to operate autonomously from the rest of WADA. The exchange of messages between WADA officials indicated a desire to halt any involvement with the experiment that could assist Valieva’s defense.

In a separate incident, it was revealed that Chinese swimmers had tested positive for a banned substance similar to the one Valieva tested positive for, but their case remained undisclosed until recently. Unlike Valieva’s case, where details were scrutinized publicly, the handling of the Chinese swimmers’ case came under fire for lack of transparency.

Valieva’s case, involving a banned heart stimulant, drew parallels to the Chinese swimmers’ case, highlighting discrepancies in how these cases were managed. Valieva’s disqualification and the subsequent awarding of the gold medal to the American team further fueled the controversy surrounding the matter.

The tense relationship between WADA and Russia, stemming from past incidents of noncompliance and deceitful actions by Russian entities, further complicated the handling of Valieva’s case. WADA’s failure to disclose information from the experiment involving Valieva raised concerns about transparency and fairness in anti-doping measures. Valieva received a four-year suspension, concluding a highly debated and contentious chapter in international sports.