With 15-year-old Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva under the world’s microscope for her alleged use of a banned substance, the outcomes of the team competition and potentially the women’s competition may be in doubt.
Florida State University’s renowned experts are available to discuss the use of banned substances in athletic competitions with the news media.
Timothy Baghurst, professor and director, Interdisciplinary Center for Athletic Coaching (FSU COACH), College of Education
(850) 644-3486; tbaghurst@fsu.edu
Baghurst’s research focuses on coaching education and development with specific interests in coaching ethics, coach/athlete health and well-being and variables that affect elite performance. He has worked with sport organizations affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and International Olympic Committee (IOC), and he currently serves as President of the National Association for Kinesiology in Higher Education.
“Doping at the Olympics raises its ugly head again. It seems that each Olympic cycle includes some sort of doping scandal, but it is complicated, no matter what side is taken. As a former anti-doping administrator, I’ve seen firsthand the challenges of negotiating complex rules and understanding what is and is not considered doping. Don’t expect this conversation to disappear anytime soon.”