Valieva's political debut: Figure skating sensation embraces new role

Kamila Valieva appeared at Vladimir Putin's inauguration in early May. This visit was not accidental. The 18-year-old Russian figure skater is beginning to engage in political matters.

Vladimir Putin's fifth term as President of Russia began in early May. The politician has been continuously ruling the country since 2000 and will continue to do so for at least six more years.

The inauguration of Putin took place on May 7. Among those in attendance was Kamila Valieva. She is one of the most talented figure skaters and the subject of a doping scandal. As it turns out, the teenager's presence was not coincidental.

Russian media report that Valieva is increasingly engaging in her country's affairs. Politics is not just a passing interest for the young figure skater.

"Valieva is being introduced to the political life of the country. She actively follows the activities of the President of Russia and even managed to personally talk with Vladimir Putin and gain his support during the Future Games," wrote journalists from championat.com.

Interestingly, Valieva does not plan to focus solely on politics shortly. The 18-year-old announced on social media that she will host a program on Channel Open and record a song with singer Mia Boyka.

Let's recall that on December 25, 2021, the Russians received a positive doping test result. Despite this, the then 15-year-old athlete participated in the Olympic Games in Beijing, where she won a gold medal in the team competition.

The teenager was not immediately disqualified. The situation was legally complicated. According to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), the then-15-year-old Valieva was legally protected and too young to be judged guilty of violating anti-doping rules.

It was only in January 2024 that she was disqualified for four years. Her ban will end on December 25, 2025.