CAS rules Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva can compete at Winter Olympics

Kamila Valieva has been cleared to continue to compete at the Winter Olympics in Beijing despite testing positive for the banned heart medication trimetazidine following a test during the Russian National Championships on Christmas Day.

The 15-year-old figure skater faced the prospect of becoming the youngest athlete to be banned for doping during the Olympic Games after the International Testing Agency (ITA) led an appeal against the decision by the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) to lift her automatic provisional suspension.

But in an extraordinary development, an ad-hoc committee set up by the Court of Arbitration for Sport determined not to uphold the provisional suspension, citing “exceptional circumstances” and the fear a ruling to the contrary could cause the athlete “irreparable harm”.

Essentially, CAS ruled that because Valieva’s age makes her a ‘protected person’ under the World Anti-Doping Code, she may be eligible for a lesser sanction – including one that does not involve a suspension – once her case is heard in full at a later date.

It means Valieva, the world record holder who competed in the short and free programs of the mixed team competition last week, is now free to compete in the women’s singles competition – starting with Tuesday’s short program – in which she is the overwhelming favourite to claim the gold medal.

CAS director general Matthieu Reeb said: “While these rules have specific provisions for evidence of a different standard of evidence and for lower sanctions in case of protected persons, the panel was therefore concerned that if a permanent suspension would be imposed on the athlete and later – at the end of the day, after the completion of all procedures – she would not be sanctioned