- Adam Rippon slammed the decision to allow figure skater Kamila Valieva to compete in the Olympics.
- Valieva, a Russian Olympic Committee skater, tested positive for a banned drug in December.
- "Dirty cheaters, and we are accommodating them," Rippon said. "I don't know how the Olympics recovers from this."
Former US figure skater Adam Rippon slammed the decision to let 15-year-old Russian Olympic Committee skater Kamila Valieva compete in the Beijing Winter Games after it was revealed last week she tested positive for a banned drug in December.
"Dirty cheaters, and we are accommodating them," Rippon told Time. "I don't know how the Olympics recovers from this."
Rippon, now a coach for US figure skater Mariah Bell, later called the women's singles short program a "bizarre event" after Valieva earned the first-place spot.
"So proud of my @MariahBell96 for dealing with this bizarre event with grace," Rippon tweeted Tuesday. "For me, the Japanese women were the very best tonight. Skating quality, interpretation, emotion. Thank you for being a light in an event that has a dark cloud hanging over it."
—Adam Rippon (@AdamRippon) February 15, 2022
If Valieva also finishes the free skate program on Thursday in first place, she still may not win her gold medal.
The International Olympic Committee said Monday that there will not be a medal ceremony for anyone if Valieva ends up on the podium until there is a definitive decision on her situation.