Rodnina called psychological trauma the cause of Valieva's problems

Sanctions did not become the main obstacle for figure skater Kamila Valieva, the main problem of the athlete is the moral damage she received. This was announced on September 28 by three-time Olympic champion Irina Rodnina.

The athlete resumed her career after a four-year break. Valieva received neutral status from the International Skating Union (ISU), however, on September 10, the organization reported that the figure skater no longer met the criteria for participation in competitions.

"The issue is not sanctions, but the fact that she has been absent for a long time and has not trained, unlike others. The psychological trauma is enormous. She has grown noticeably," Rodnina said in an interview with "RIA Novosti".

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The four-year break in the athlete's career was due to disqualification for violating anti-doping rules. Starting from the 2026/27 season, the ISU allows Russian figure skaters to participate in international competitions in a neutral status, but on September 10, the organization rejected the appeals of Valieva and Mark Kondratyuk to revoke this status.

The figure skater herself previously spoke about the joy of going public after a long absence. According to Valieva, she missed the performances and the emotions of the fans.