Putin backs Russian skater Valieva as she faces doping case

Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed support for figure skater Kamila Valieva. He says she did not compete “dishonestly” after her doping case dominated this year’s Winter Olympics. Valieva was on the gold-medal winning Russian squad for the figure skating team event at the Beijing Olympics but no medal ceremony has been held because she is facing an unresolved doping case resulting from a positive test at the Russian national championships in late December. Putin gave Valieva a state award as part of a televised ceremony celebrating Russian medalists and congratulated her on her 16th birthday.