The doping scandal involving Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva has raised more concerns than it has answered.
Some skaters believe it is time to address another question: Should a 15-year-old compete in the Olympics at all?
“You want these athletes to have a chance to make this a career, not just a one-year run at it,” said Mariah Bell, the oldest US national champion in nearly a century, after skating on Tuesday.
“I believe that if we had an age minimum limit, it would promote the idea of longevity, and someone being 25 would not be shocking at an Olympics.”
Valieva was allowed to skate in the short programme on Tuesday, in part because her age grants her special rights as a “protected person” in a doping case. It comes as some skating officials advocate raising the minimum age for her event from 15 to 17 in time for the 2026 Olympics in Milan-Cortina. Bell recommended a minimum of 18.
Reformers claim that changing the rules will preserve the well-being of kid athletes while also lowering the chance of injuries caused by straining the body into ever-more spectacular jumps.
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