Kamila Valieva: Cas clearance for skater sparks anger at Winter Olympics

The Beijing Winter Games descended into acrimony and farce on Monday after the 15-year-old Russian skater Kamila Valieva was cleared to compete again despite a positive doping test hanging over her head.

In a highly-anticipated ruling, the court of arbitration for sport said there were “exceptional circumstances” surrounding Valieva’s case, and that banning her while it was ongoing “would cause her irreparable harm”.

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It means that Valieva, who last week became the first woman to land a quad at the Olympics when she inspired the Russian Olympic Committee to victory in the team event, will now go for a second gold medal in the women’s single skating competition starting on Tuesday and finishing on Thursday.

The decision was immediately condemned by the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee, whose skaters finished in silver behind the Russians in the team event. Its president, Sarah Hirshland, described it as “another chapter in the systemic and pervasive disregard for clean sport by Russia”. “Athletes have the right to know they are competing on a level playing field,” she added. “Unfortunately, today that right is being denied.”

The Canadian Olympic Committee also said it was “extremely disappointed” with the decision. “The COC is fully committed to clean sport and we firmly believe that anyone involved in doping or other corrupt practices has a place in the Olympic movement,” its president, Tricia Smith, said.

Several former athletes, including the 2014 figure skating silver medalist Kim Yuma, have also said that Valieva should not be competing.

Valieva, who practiced on Monday, has not commented on the decision. However her