Travel
Russia's Kamila Valieva in the lead after controversial return to ice at 2022 Winter Olympics
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BEIJING — Kamila Valieva took the ice just before 10 p.m. Tuesday to the sound of clicking cameras, the world watching and wondering what she’d do.
In a moment of sports theater, the Russian phenom at the center of a doping saga turned in a shaky performance during her short program at Capital Indoor Stadium. But by the end of the night, she was nevertheless in the lead.
Despite twisting off-axis on the first of her three jumps – the notorious triple axel – and touching the ice on her descent, the 15-year-old’s performance was good enough for a score of 82.16, nearly two full points ahead of the second-place finisher in the short program, her Russian teammate Anna Shcherbakova. The competition will continue Thursday with the long program.
AS IT HAPPENED: Americans’ figure skating scores and more from Winter Olympics
Valieva appeared to begin tearing up on the ice at the conclusion of her performance, then raised her hands to her face. Her short program capped a wild week in which she has found herself at the center of an international maelstrom involving some of the largest governing bodies in sports, including the International Olympic Committee and World Anti-Doping Agency.
Both organizations, in fact, felt the Russian teenager shouldn’t have been on the ice Tuesday at all.
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MEDAL COUNT: How each country is performing at the Winter Games
News broke last week that Valieva tested positive for a banned heart medication called trimetazidine, which is used to treat angina but can also improve endurance and blood flow. She was provisionally suspended, then reinstated upon appeal. Her lawyers argued that she accidentally ingested the substance through a product her grandfather uses, veteran IOC member Denis Oswald confirmed earlier Tuesday.
The positive test delayed the medal ceremony for the team figure skating event, where Valieva helped Russia win gold, and sparked a complex legal battle over whether she should be allowed to compete again at the Games while her doping case was being adjudicated.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport, which generally has the final say on international sports disputes, ruled in Valieva’s favor Monday, effectively paving the way for her to compete for an individual gold. Yet the IOC ensured she would do so with an asterisk, announcing it would not hold a medal ceremony if she placed in the top three. (It has also declined to hold a ceremony for the team event during the Beijing Games.)
The situation has left Valieva under an intense media spotlight, with more than a hundred reporters cramming into a practice rink in recent days to watch her skate and pepper her with questions after she left the ice.
“These days have been very difficult for me,” she told Russian state broadcaster Channel One, in her only public comments since news of the positive test became public. “I’m happy but I’m tired emotionally.”
The same could probably be said of Valieva’s fellow competitors, who have been fielding questions about her situation for several days – including after their own performances Tuesday night.
“It’s a tough situation for everyone. And it’s unfortunate that it’s taking place at the Olympics,” American skater Mariah Bell said. “… I have been and always will be an advocate for clean sport. That’s all I can really say.”
Several skaters were asked if they believe Valieva should be competing.
“I can’t say that. That’s for other people to decide,” Austria’s Olga Mikutina said.
“I really haven’t even had time to think about anyone other than myself,” said Kailani Craine of Australia.
Josefin Taljegard of Sweden said she simply finds the entire situation sad.
“I just want everyone to know figure skating is a lovely sport. These negative things, it takes away from that,” Taljegard said.
“Because I didn’t know everything, I didn’t want to make up my mind. Of course I think fair play is important. Something inside of me thinks it’s sad. But here we are.”
Contact Tom Schad at tschad@usatoday.com or on Twitter @Tom_Schad.
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Travel
Razzies royally torch 'Diana' musical and 'Space Jam 2,' show love to Oscar favorite Will Smith
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In its proclamation of the worst films of 2021, the Razzies lambasted a critically reviled Princess Diana musical and LeBron James’ “Space Jam” sequel, but spread love instead of hate for Will Smith.
The Golden Raspberry Awards, annually announced the day before the Academy Awards, bestowed five dishonors on Netflix’s “Diana: The Musical,” a filmed production of the recent Broadway show that closed after 33 performances. “Diana” beat out “Infinite,” “Karen,” “Space Jam: A New Legacy” and “The Woman in the Window” for worst picture, plus picked up worst screenplay and worst actress for star Jeanna de Waal.
“New Legacy,” the live-action/animated hybrid basketball comedy featuring James hooping it up with Bugs Bunny and Co., earned three Razzie awards. James was named worst actor and also was saddled with worst screen couple – which went to James and “Any Warner Cartoon Character (or WarnerMedia Product) He Dribbles On” – while the movie snagged worst sequel.
How to watch the 2022 Oscars:Everything you should know about Sunday’s Academy Awards
“House of Gucci” star Jared Leto lost his Screen Actors Guild race for best supporting actor but nabbed the Razzie for worst. And Bruce Willis does so many VOD movies now that he received his own special category (worst performance by Bruce Willis in a 2021 movie) that, to no one’s surprise, he won – for “Cosmic Sin.”
Smith, who’s expected to win the best actor Oscar Sunday for “King Richard,” received this year’s Razzie Redeemer Award for previous Razzie honorees who’ve come back with quality efforts. Recent winners include Ben Affleck, Sylvester Stallone, Melissa McCarthy and Eddie Murphy.
The full list of this year’s Razzie “winners”:
Worst picture: “Diana: The Musical”
Worst actor: LeBron James, “Space Jam: A New Legacy”
Worst actress: Jeanna de Waal, “Diana: The Musical”
Worst supporting actress: Judy Kaye, “Diana: The Musical”
Worst supporting actor: Jared Leto, “House of Gucci”
Worst performance by Bruce Willis in a 2021 movie: Bruce Willis, “Cosmic Sin”
Worst screen couple: LeBron James and Any Warner Cartoon Character
(or WarnerMedia Product) He Dribbles On, “Space Jam: A New Legacy”
Worst remake, rip-off or sequel: “Space Jam: A New Legacy”
Worst director: Christopher Ashley, “Diana: The Musical”
Worst screenplay: “Diana: The Musical”
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Business
As more marijuana dispensaries get targeted by robbers, SAFE Banking Act lingers in Congress
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CHICAGO — In a ridiculous coincidence, the Saint Peter’s Peacocks wrote NCAA Tournament history on National Peacock Day with a thrilling upset of Purdue.
The mid-major became the first-ever No. 15 seed to reach the Elite Eight, outdoing previous No. 15 seeds Oral Roberts (2021) and Florida Gulf Coast (2013). Exactly 0.8% of people picked the Peacocks to get this far, with the school from Jersey City, New Jersey, defying all odds. Is Saint Peter’s the best Cinderella of all time?
Meanwhile, the ACC is sitting pretty with three teams – Duke and now North Carolina and Miami (Fla.) – in the Elite Eight on the same day the Big Ten saw its last team go down.
A look at three key takeaways from Friday:
Saint Peter’s writes NCAA history
Coach Shaheen Holloway has this team playing inspired basketball, and now the Peacocks (22-11) are just one win from the Final Four. The best Cinderellas of the last two decades to reach Final Fours – George Mason in 2006, VCU in 2011, Loyola-Chicago (2018) all were double-digit seeded mid-majors. But none was as highly seeded as this Saint Peter’s team that’s now beaten No. 2 seed Kentucky, No. 7 Murray State and No. 3 Purdue.
WINNERS, LOSERS:Poised Saint Peter’s keeps the dream alive; bye-bye, Big Ten; hello, ACC
OPINION:Saint Peter’s embodies wackiness and uncertainty of this NCAA Tournament
ANALYSIS:Purdue’s loss leaves Big Ten shut out of Elite Eight. We could see this coming.
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OPINION:Houston is leaving Phi Slama Jama in the 1980s for good
While other bracket-busting NCAA Tournament darlings of yesteryear have had flair (FGCU’s “Dunk City”) or a lovable fan (Loyola’s Sister Jean), this team from the MAAC is doing it with defense, namely with nine steals. In spite of being undersized against the Boilermakers, the Peacocks used aggressiveness and hustle to outduel their seemingly superior opponent behind 6-8 freshman Clarence Rubert and 6-7 junior Hassan Drame. Daryl Banks III (14 points) is the go-to scorer for Saint Peter’s, but Mr. Clutch has been guard Doug Edert (10 points) off the bench. One stat to note: a 19-for-21 clip from the free-throw line. What’s been most impressive is the Peacocks’ ability to stay hungry and poised under pressure, winning close games in all three NCAA Tournament matchups.
Blue-bloods show title potential
Duke and Villanova advanced on Thursday, and fellow blue-bloods Kansas and North Carolina will now join them in the Elite Eight. And yes, if both the Blue Devils and Tar Heels win Sunday, we could see them meet in the Final Four.
Ever since North Carolina embarrassed Duke in coach Mike Krzyzewski’s final home game at Cameron Indoor Stadium, the Heels have been red-hot – knocking out No. 1 Baylor in the previous game in overtime. That continued against a UCLA team that reached the Final Four last year and seemed destined to get back. Caleb Love was brilliant again, finishing with 30 points off six three-pointers. Armando Bacot’s tip-in with 22 seconds left sealed the win in another impressive outing for coach Hubert Davis’ resilient team.
The last remaining No. 1 in the NCAA Tournament, Kansas stayed alive, escaping Providence by five points. It’s coach Bill Self’s ninth trip to the Elite Eight with Kansas and 11th of his career, as the Jayhawks (31-6) are one win from the Final Four. They’ve now won eight in a row and are looking like a title contender after entering the NCAA Tourney having won the Big 12 tournament.
The secret weapon for Kansas has been guard Remy Martin. For the third consecutive tournament game, Kansas got a jolt off the bench from the fiery Martin (23 points), the Arizona State transfer who has erupted in these NCAAs after playing a reserve role throughout 2021-22.
ACC > Big Ten
Despite garnering nine NCAA Tournament bids on Selection Sunday – the most of any conference – the Big Ten is out following Purdue’s stunning exit vs. Saint Peter’s. The league tanked in the first two rounds, with No. 5 Iowa – the conference tourney champ – getting upset by Richmond in the first round. No. 3 Wisconsin, No. 4 Illinois, No. 7 Michigan State and No. 7 Ohio State all lost in the second round. And now, with Michigan’s loss to Villanova, the overall underachievement is on full display. That’s a 9-9 finish in the tournament.
No Big Ten team has cut down the nets since 2000 (the Spartans), and it’s a depressing outlook for the league that posted the second-best NET score in 2021-22 and showcased several teams with Final Four potential.
The ACC, which finished with the sixth-worst NET score as a league, has Duke, North Carolina and Miami all in the Elite Eight. That’s after the Tar Heels, Hurricanes and Notre Dame were all bubble teams in early March. The NCAA Tournament is about matchups and pathways. No matter how well the Big Ten did in the regular season, much like the Pac-12’s surprising finish last year, the ACC is well-positioned with three teams still alive and two of them title contenders.
Follow college basketball reporter Scott Gleeson on Twitter @ScottMGleeson.
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