Johnny Weir And Tara Lipinski Said Everything By Saying Practically Nothing During Kamila Valieva’s Olympic Routine

The 2022 Winter Olympics are currently popping off in Beijing, and one of the hot topics is a 15-year-old figure skater from Russia named Kamila Valieva. Kamila tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs and is still being allowed to compete. NBC commentators, Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski may not be able to do anything about this clear lapse in judgment from the Olympics people, but they can show their disdain by turning their colorful commentary down to a Zero and then saying Kamila shouldn’t be there.

Back in December, Kamila was tested at the Russian Championships in Saint Petersburg, and due to COVID-19 reportedly backing everything up, the results weren’t released until this month. She tested positive for Trimetazidine, a medication that improves heart function. It’s a banned substance, so she was initially suspended and used the “grandpa” excuse. via USA Today:

On Feb. 8, Valieva was suspended after trimetazidine was found in her system but the skater appealed that decision the next day.

In the subsequent hearing, Valieva’s attorney, Anna Kozmenko claimed the 15-year-old accidentally took trimetazidine through a contaminated product. Kozmenko argued the drug belonged to Valieva’s grandfather, who takes it for heart issues.

Yesterday, we learned from The New York Times that she also had two other heart medications, L-carnitine and Hypoxen, in her system. Those medications are not banned but throw doubt on her “grandpa” excuse, and as USADA CEO Travis Tygart said, “You use all of that to increase performance. It totally undermines the credibility” of her defense.

CNN says that the International Olympic Committee and the International Skating Union have made a few changes to allow for Kamila to participate. They expanded the number of qualifying free skaters from 24 to 25 after the Court of Arbitration for Sport cleared Kamila to compete. CAS says that Kamila is a “protected person” at 15 and that she wasn’t given enough time to put together a defense.

While Kamila is being allowed to compete she won’t be getting a medal if she makes the top 3–which is likely happening since she’s apparently amazing. In the team event where she led the Russians to a gold medal, the awarding of the medals is for now on hold. But that’s not enough punishment for Johnny and Tara. Johnny’s glittery explosion of drama is usually simmering somewhere around a low 75, and when he turns that shit up to 100?! It’s a lot. But while Johnny is a flavorful and exuberantly bright commentator, he’ll also drag a trick. And yesterday during Kamila’s skate, Johnny and Tara let their silence speak volumes. via Huffington Post:

The normally loquacious NBC commentators Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir barely said a word during the drug-scandalized 15-year-old’s performance. They noted a jumping pass and stayed mum during an uncharacteristic stumble. That was about it…

“All I feel I can say is that was the short program of Kamila Valieva at the Olympics,” Weir said.

“And for all the other Olympics athletes skating here, I feel I need to say again, she had a positive test,” Lipinski added. “We should not have seen this skate.”

“We are so sorry it’s overshadowing your Olympics,” Weir added.

Lipinski, who won gold as a 15-year-old at the 1998 Nagano Games, noted that she had repeatedly declared before the Beijing Games that Valieva was the best skater she had ever seen. “Saying that now not only makes me confused, but it makes me angry and disoriented,” Lipinski said.

Here’s Kamila’s skate:

Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir weigh in on Kamila Valiyeva's short program. pic.twitter.com/LdjY4LQOvv

— NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) February 16, 2022

Johnny kept roasting Kamila after the show was over and took to Twitter to post some more of his disappointment and disdain calling it the “hardest event I’ve ever had to cover… Thank you all for supporting the skaters that should be in this competition whose life’s work is on the line.”

Thank you. pic.twitter.com/kp3IdYxine

— Johnny Weir (@JohnnyGWeir) February 15, 2022

But if Kamila needs three different heart medications at 15 why the hell is she in extreme sports?! Get this girl a chessboard!

Pic: NBC