Russian demon trainer Eteri Tutberidze was seen for his actions around 15-year-old Kamila Valieva.
Now she is fighting back.
– I expect an apology from Thomas Bach, she says.
Eteri Tutberidze is the figure skating coach who raised a number of Russian child prodigies, but who was also accused of exercising a reign of terror and dabbling in doping.
In the Beijing Olympics, she ended up in the spotlight.
In the middle of the championship, the scandal broke that 15-year-old Kamila Valieva tested positive for doping, but due to special circumstances, Valieva was allowed to continue competing.
Was not comforted
Clearly affected by all the commotion, she failed miserably in the free program and fell several times before leaving the arena in tears, with a stuffed animal under her arm, after a snowy fourth place.
If she was comforted by Eteri Tutberidze?
Rather the opposite.
Tutberidze was cold towards his mentee, prompting IOC President Thomas Bach to roar.
– It was terrible to see, he said.
Demand an apology
Now Eteri Tutberidze has done a rare interview with French L’Équipe in which she hits back at the IOC pomp.
– Why should I comfort someone who does not want to be comforted? The problem wasn’t that she failed, the problem was that she gave up. The Olympics is a dream for every athlete and many had sacrificed everything to get her (Valieva) place. I do not tolerate such behavior. I think it is unfair that Thomas Bach gets involved in criticizing me. I expect an apology from him, she says.
The doping case is not over
What happens with Kamila Valieva’s doping case remains to be seen. A Russian anti-doping organization has determined that she had a banned substance in her, but that she ingested it by mistake.
The International Anti-Doping Agency Wada plans to take the matter further to the Court of Arbitration for Sport Cas.
Eteri Tutberidze denies that she had anything to do with the matter.
– My actives have always been clean, she says.
