Schwartz on Valieva’s final skate: ‘One of the most tragic performances in ice skating history’

NBC News Correspondent Gadi Schwartz joined Chris Jansing to discuss breaking news out of the Beijing Olympics where Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva who has been in the middle of a doping scandal and was expected to take home the Gold, placed fourth after falling short in her final performance. “It was a crumbling of a 15 year old on the ice with the entire world watching,” Schwartz says. “Then leaving the ice in tears, her coaches words immediately afterwards seem to be of criticism.”

[RSTI]

This was child abuse and nothing short of it.
I've been watching the Olympics since Mark Spitz brought home all the gold.
Valieva is the best I've ever seen.
She floats on air.
Her timing is impeccable.
Her dynamics are flawless.
Just heartbreaking what the powers that be did to her.
I hope she can recover and move forward..
Truly gut wrenching..
So sad....

[selah]

Imagine what’s going to happen when the world isn’t watching. I truly feel for this girl.

[mefford]

*I am SO incredibly angry over this young woman’s ordeal.*

*It was absolutely revolting to witness the abuse of this child.* 🤦🏻‍♀️

[Kingfisher]

This is a fifteen year old who worked her tail off, gave up a lot of her childhood, and it all came together to end like this. All she did was work hard and dream, like thousands of other kids just like her. And the Russian skating machine just used her.

[TheStarflight]

Child abuse. My heart goes out to Kamilla. She has great talent and would have wound up somewhere on the podium without drugs. She's been groomed since she was a little child both physically and emotionally. I can't imagine what it was like behind the scenes. Shame on the Russian Gov't, the coaches and the idiotic committees. I have nothing but compassion for Valieva. It is entirely possible that she deliberately lost for the sake of the other skaters. She too good to fall like that. If so, I applaud her... and give her the gold if in spirit only.

[fakkedd]

There's not a doubt in my mind that it was her coaches who gave her the drugs! No 15yo is going to know how that combination of drugs would help her. I feel sorry for someone who could have become a great skater and instead has had her career destroyed.

[ilfaitfroid]

I feel so bad for this kid. The adults in her life let her down.

[MiguelSilva-tydo]

Something else that is tragic is that many were probably hoping she would do so bad that she fell out of medal contention ONLY because of the doping controversy around her and her still being able to compete. They would have much rather seen her succeed being a clean athlete and I'm sure the biggest reason why she failed to medal is because so much focus was on her and the doping. Johnny and Tara protested by not saying anything during her performance. It's an all around sad situation that the adults around this young girl put her through.

[lisabrown]

Poor kid.. she is undeniably the best female ice skater in the world, and the “adults” in her life let her down. Shameful.

[DeWittPotts]

I do feel bad for Valieva and think she is actually a victim in all of this. That being said, I can't help but feel that it was very 'convenient' for the Russian team that she failed to place in the medal contention. Remember that if she had placed in the top 3 then there would not be a medal ceremony because of the ruling. Now that she placed 4th her teammates now win the gold and silver. Russia gets what it wants which is to win medals despite being caught cheating.

[kathyrama]

This is one of the saddest things. I wonder did this child even know she was being doped. So sad.

[ddee]

The people that gave her drugs should be banned for life. The people that let her humiliate herself should be banned too. Children should not be allowed to compete.

[GnirpsNaireip]

Feeling heart broken and crying for a heartbroken teammate is so hard to understand?

[Impozalla]

The Russian Olympic committee strategically told Kamila to fall during her routine so her teammates could medale for the country. It obviously worked out because Russia got golden silver.

[lukerabin]

The child who should never have been given treatment that was probably unwarranted and the coach knew it was illegal, yet still tampered with her health and sporting future. The adults behind her performance should never be permitted to work with child sports people ever again.

[totesgene]

Thank you. Finally someone is clarifying that Kamila is a victim in all of this.

[ronmortimer]

The Russian Bear sacrificing its children for the glory of the motherland. Really admirable Russia.

[erikpeterson]

This is absolutely HEARTBREAKING and ironically it was heart medication ...

My heart goes out to Kamila and her teammates ....💔💔💔

Kamila should have been treated as a national treasure of Russia and also PROTECTED as such...and one of the things she should have been protected from by the ADULTS around her is the scandal she had to endure.

I AM WITH KAMILA and all the other girls ...best wishes always from Maine USA

[chriskane]

This is what Russia does to it's citizens and has forever! Pay attention Mr. Tucker Carlson! They have lists and plans and your name is there. Playing with fire. I have watched them for over 70 years! Power to the Russian People! Big players in this!

[sarahf.]

Russia shouldn't be allowed to compete.