Youth Olympics, Shin Jia and Shimada Mixed Up Due to Valieva Incident… Competing in the Last Olympics?

Due to Valieva’s doping issue, the age for participation in international competitions was raised by 3 to 4 months.

Shin Jia will participate in the 2026 Olympics, but Shimada will not be able to compete.

Mao Shimada (15), the next generation Japanese figure skating women’s singles figure skater who competed in the 2024 Gangwon Winter Youth Olympics (hereinafter referred to as Gangwon 2024), is considered the biggest victim of the Russian figure star Kamila Valieva’s doping scandal.

Shimada lost her chance to compete at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan/Cortina d’Ampezzo due to her age adjustment due to Valieva’s doping issues.

On the other hand, her rival of the same age, Shin Ji-ah (Yeongdong Middle School), maintained her Olympic qualification by about four months.

Gangwon 2024 may be the last Olympic rivalry between the two athletes. 안전놀이터

Initially, the age limit for participation in senior international figure skating competitions, including the Olympics, was 15 years or older.

However, when Valieva’s doping issue arose at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, the rules were changed.

Valieva tested positive for drugs when she competed at the Beijing Olympics at the age of 15, but because she was an under-16 athlete, she was not allowed to compete in the women’s singles event.

This was due to the decision of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to classify athletes under the age of 16 as subjects of information disclosure protection and impose a low level of disciplinary action.

Accordingly, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Skating Union (ISU) were pointed out that the age limit for figure skating athletes to participate in senior competitions should be raised, and the ISU raised the age limit for participation in senior figure skating competitions to 15 through the general meeting in June 2022.

It was decided to gradually raise the age from age to 17.

Accordingly, only those born before July 2008 will be able to participate in the 2026 Milan/Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics.

Shimada suffered a direct blow to his career as a player with this decision.

Shimada was born on October 30, 2008, so he lost eligibility for the 2026 Olympics by about four months.

On the other hand, Shin Ji-ah was born on March 19, 2008.

She is three months and 20 days away from being able to take the stage in Milan/Cortina d’Ampezzo.

Shimada will not be able to step onto the adult Olympic stage until the 2030 Winter Olympics, and it is unclear whether she will be able to maintain her top skills until then.

This is because female single figure skaters usually reach their prime in their late teens.

That’s why Gangwon 2024 is even more meaningful to Shimada.

Because it could be her last Olympic performance.

In a recent interview with the Olympic website, Shimada said, «The Olympics has been a stage I have longed for since I was young,» and added, «Now, I will pour out everything I can on this stage.»

The two athletes will compete in the women’s figure skating singles free skating, where the Gangwon 2024 medal is at stake, at the Gangneung Ice Arena in Gangwon-do on the afternoon of the 30th.

Shimada took first place and Shin Ji-ah took third place in the short program.

Meanwhile, the International Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) suspended Valieva for four years from December 2021 to December 2025, saying on the 29th (local time) that it was acknowledged that she violated IOC anti-doping regulations at the Beijing Olympics.

She also decided to strip Baliyeva of her gold medal in the figure team event at the Beijing Olympics, which she won with all her might.