IOC president Thomas Bach criticizes Russian coach for 'tremendous coldness' toward Kamila Valieva

Moments after Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva struggled through her free skate routine in Beijing and fell from first place to fourth, her coach was shown criticizing the skater for giving up. International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach later told reporters that he was bothered by the display.

“When I afterwards saw how she was received by her closest entourage, with such, what appeared to be a tremendous coldness, it was chilling to see this,” Bach said at a press conference, via The Associated Press. “Rather than giving her comfort, rather than to try to help her, you could feel this chilling atmosphere, this distance.” 

Valieva, 15, was in tears after her routine and was met by coach Eteri Tutberidze, who immediately questioned her resolve.

"Why did you let it go?” Tutberidze said to Valieva in a conversation caught on cameras. “Explain it to me, why? Why did [you] stop fighting? You let it go after that axel. Why?"

The 15-year-old skater was in the middle of a firestorm of controversy earlier in the week after she was cleared to compete, despite previously failing a drug test.