“She was and remains the greatest figure skater in the history of women’s singles. A true angel from the world of figure skating. I’m still upset about what happened to her at the Beijing Olympics.” Cory Circelli on Kamila Valieva
Italian figure skater Cory Circelli shared his admiration for Kamila Valieva, expressing hope for her successful return to elite competition after her suspension ended.
original source: Sport24 dd 31st December 2025 by Petr Shatrov
On December 25, Kamila Valieva’s disqualification ended. During this time, she changed her coaching team and is now seriously determined to return to the highest level. Under Valieva’s post marking her return to major sport, one of Italy’s figure skaters, Cory Circelli, left a joyful comment in Russian. Sport24 correspondent contacted Circelli. Here’s a translation of his comments.
“Q: You reacted very actively on social media to the end of Kamila Valieva’s suspension. Why is this so important to you?
Cory Circelli: I don’t think it even needs explanation. She was and remains the greatest figure skater in the history of women’s singles. I remember Kamila from her junior competitions. Back then, everyone everywhere was talking about her. I was told about an incredible girl doing things no one else could repeat. I’ve followed her career ever since.
Q: Did Kamila meet your expectations?
Cory Circelli: Absolutely. Sometimes it even seemed unreal – so close to perfection that I couldn’t believe it. A true angel from the world of figure skating. I’m still upset about what happened to her at the Beijing Olympics.
Q: Tell us how you found out about it.
Cory Circelli: At the time, I was living in North America. I clearly remember being in a café with a friend when everyone started writing about Kamila. Shows and programs on all channels stopped, and everyone started talking about her. It felt like the world stopped, and the superstar became the main villain.
Q: What did you think then?
Cory Circelli: Oh, it was terrible. I couldn’t understand how anyone could treat a 15-year-old girl like that. At the same time, I was very impressed by Kamila’s own behavior. She didn’t say a single bad word about those who wrote awful things about her.
Q: Did you believe she could come back after that?
Cory Circelli: I had big doubts. There have been enough examples of Russian superstars talking about a comeback, but it never worked out. But Kamila is truly determined to compete at the highest level again. It’s a very inspiring story. I hope one day a movie or book will be made about her career. The print run would definitely be in the millions.
Q: How many times have you met Kamila in person?
Cory Circelli: Just once. It was in Courchevel, when I was 16 and she was 13. I don’t know if she remembers that meeting, but I’ll never forget it. I even still have a photo.
Q: Have you kept in touch since then?
Cory Circelli: Yes, I’ve written to her many times, but more as a big fan than a friend. The last time was a few months ago. I posted one of my jumps and tagged her. I actually learned to do quads using her technique.
Q: Recently, she posted about her return and liked your comment. How did you feel when you saw that?
Cory Circelli: Haha, I don’t even know what to say. It was nice that she saw and reacted. I hoped other skaters would congratulate her too, but on Christmas Day, many had their own plans.
Q: Did your friends in figure skating react to the news?
Cory Circelli: My close friend Nikolaj Memola and I talked about it for months. For us, December 25 was a double Christmas. Kamila’s return is as important as the holiday.
Q: What about others?
Cory Circelli: Here in Italy, everyone is waiting. In recent years, women’s singles skating has developed very slowly, so many want to see Kamila at international competitions again. And everyone is shocked that four years have passed. Time flies too fast.
Q: Do you think Kamila can become a world star again?
Cory Circelli: Absolutely. With the new age limit, the era of multi-quads from Trusova, Shcherbakova, and Valieva will remain only in juniors. At the senior level, leaders are doing the minimum number of quads. During shows, everyone saw that Kamila’s triple jumps are still better than anyone else’s.
Q: Do you believe she’ll jump quads again?
Cory Circelli: Maybe, if Kamila wants, she’ll bring back the quad toe loop. I’m not as sure about the axel and salchow, because it depends on whether she can do them at an older age. I think Kamila can easily win with just triple jumps. Alysa Liu won the World Grand Prix that way. Once again, I wish Kamila good luck on this journey.”
Related topics: Cory Circelli, Kamila Valieva
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