Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva cleared to continue at Olympics despite positive drug test

Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva has been cleared to continue competing at the Beijing Olympics, despite a positive drug test from December surfacing last week.

Valieva, a 15-year-old figure skater competing for ROC (Russian Olympic Committee), will be allowed to compete in the women’s singles event after a Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling determined that “no provisional suspension should be imposed on the Athlete.”

Valieva was part of the ROC team that was awarded the gold medal in the figure skating team event on February 8, but the medal ceremony for the event has yet to be held after a positive test for the banned heart drug trimetazidine from Valieva was discovered.

The IOC, International Skating Union and World Anti-Doping Agency challenged the Russian Anti-Doping Agency on their lifting of Valieva’s initial provisional ban given to her on February 9.

The ruling added that Valieva is “still subject to a disciplinary procedure on the merits following the positive anti-doping test undertaken in December 2021,” and referred to her as a “protected” person, a legal term for a minor.

In short, Valieva will be allowed to continue competing at the Olympics, though could still face further sanctions and a possible medal revocation (in either the team event or the singles event, should she win) if the IOC or other governing bodies rule against her. With the rapidly evolving nature of the case and Valieva a projected medal favourite, we’ve far from seen the last of her name in the headlines this week despite the initial clearance.

The women’s singles event takes place over two days, beginning on Tuesday at 5 am ET/2 am PT with the short program, with the free program coming two days later on Thursday at the same time.