The Olympic champion in figure skating, **[Alexei Yagudin](https://www.example.com/tags/20086-jagudin/)**, shared his thoughts on the return of Russian figure skater **Kamila Valieva** to her sports career, evaluating her chances for successful performances in competitions.

Valieva was handed a four-year ban by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) at the end of January 2024 for breaching anti-doping regulations. Her disqualification period is set to start from December 25, 2021, meaning she will be eligible to resume official training from October 25, 2025.

“I have no idea if Kamila will be able to reach the same heights again. It’s something many people hope for. How this entire situation will affect her is a question best directed to Kamila herself.

Recently, I had a conversation with her, and there was absolutely no doubt in her response to my question about whether she would start training and compete again. Her confidence was evidently strong. So, at this moment, I don’t have any uncertainties. However, I’m not keen on speculating about the futurebecause it’s often a tricky business. We all know how those kinds of stories usually end.

I think there’s no one who wouldn’t want to wish Kamila strength. Four years is a significant period; it’s a huge gap. But judging by the current state of women’s singles figure skating, Kamila possesses everything she needs to return to the elite ranks and excel beyond just being among the best,” Yagudin’s words were reported by TASS.