Azerbaijani sambo athlete Ramil Valiyev gave an exclusive interview to Idman.biz.
- You were disqualified for five years by the International Doping-Test Agency. Can you tell us what happened?
- In 2022, I had chest pains and shortness of breath, so I took heart medication. It contained mildronate, which I later found out was on the doping list. As a result, I was disqualified. That year, I had reached the final of the European Championship. They could have banned me for one or two years considering my age. But instead, I got five years! What did I do? I just took heart medicine. I turn 36 on March 18, so by the time my ban is over, I'll be 39. I’ve been a professional fighter for 20 years, and this was my first-ever doping violation. Why impose the harshest penalty from the start?
- Are you saying you are innocent?
- I'm not saying I’m innocent. No one spiked my food or anything—I took the medicine myself. I just didn’t know it was banned. My point is: If I tested positive, fine—ban me for six months or a year. If you really dislike me, then two years. But why five years? When they called me from the European office, they asked me to name others who had taken the same medication. They said if I cooperated, my ban could be reduced. I told them, "You called Azerbaijan, and the person speaking to you is Azerbaijani. Betrayal is not in our blood." Maybe that's why they gave me five years—to end my career. If they had given me two years, I could have come back and won the European and World Championships. I need support from the Azerbaijan Anti-Doping Agency.
- Did you take any steps to reduce your ban?
- The Azerbaijan Sambo Federation handled it, but they said the appeal didn’t change anything. At first, I was told four years, but I recently found out it’s actually five.
- You're now competing in MMA.
- Yes, I haven't left sports. I became a world champion in MMA and continue as a professional fighter.
- Why are you so determined to return to sambo?
- I grew up with sambo. It’s easier for me because I’ve trained in it since childhood. I also want to make history in combat sambo—we don’t have a world champion in this discipline yet.
- These five years must have been difficult.
- Of course. I still think about it. That year, I won the European Championship, and I could have won the World Championship too. I could have built on that success. Now, every time I see an article about my ban, it bothers me. People outside sports don’t understand what doping is. They think it turns you into some kind of monster. But even taking two small painkillers can result in a positive test.
Aytaj Sahed
Idman.biz
