IOC's Dick Pound says decision to allow Russian skater to compete is 'safest,' 'fairest' way to handle it

Canada's Richard Pound, a senior member of the International Olympic Committee, said the decision to allow Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva to continue at the Beijing Olympics despite a positive drug test is "messy" but fair.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport cleared Valieva to skate after a hearing on Sunday.  A panel of judges ruled that the 15-year-old Valieva, the favourite for the women's individual gold, does not need to be provisionally suspended ahead of a full investigation.

The court gave her a favourable decision in part because she is a minor, known in Olympic jargon as a "protected person," and is subject to different rules from an adult athlete.

"It's sort of messy but I think in the end, it's probably the safest and the fairest way of dealing with this," Pound told CBC Sports on The Extra Hour show. "It hasn't been determined whether or not it's a full-blown positive, until that happens. It would be wrong to penalize her and probably wrong to keep her from competing because she hasn't actually got a positive test."

Valieva tested positive for the heart drug trimetazidine on Dec. 25 at the Russian nationals, but the result from a Swedish lab didn't come to light until a week ago, after she helped the Russian Olympic Committee win the team gold. A second sample, or B sample, will now be analyzed before a final determination is made.

As part of the ruling, the IOC said there would be no medal ceremony for the team event, nor for the upcoming women's singles if she finishes in the top three.

Pound admitted that is disappointing for the athletes.

"On the day, it's a big deal. The IOC is conscious of that and as you could see in its statement, we'll find a way to give the final medallists their due and the