Figure skating legends stage silent protest during Kamila Valieva’s ‘uncomfortable’ Winter Olympics routine

American figure skating greats have staged their own silent protest on live TV after Russian teenager Kamila Valieva was allowed to continue in the Winter Olympics despite a positive doping test.

Valieva, 15, was at the centre of an extraordinary Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) hearing prior to the women’s short program at Beijing 2022 on Tuesday.

Watch the teenager’s routine in the video above

Watch the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics on Channel 7 and stream it for free on 7plus >>

She was permitted to remain in the competition partly because her age gives her extra rights as a ‘protected person’ in a doping case.

With so many questions still lingering, NBC commentators Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski - usually boisterously sharing their enthusiasm for the sport through their calls - stayed largely silent when Valieva completed her routine in the short program on Tuesday night.

“All I feel like I can say is that was the short program of Kamila Valieva at the Olympics,” Weir said at its conclusion.

Lipinski added: “We should not have seen this skate.”

“We are so sorry it is overshadowing your Olympics,” Weir said.

Lipinski had said before the routine began that she did not expect CAS to permit Valieva, who was in tears after her routine, to compete.

If Valieva finishes in the top three there will be no flower or medal ceremonies until her doping case has wrapped up at an unknown date in the future.

“I feel so uncomfortable as a skater and a skating fan having to commentate her performance simply because she should not be able to compete,” Weir said.

Weir later shared a short video to social media.

“Thank you to everybody who tuned into our coverage of the women’s short program live from Beijing,” he said.

“That was the