Kamila Valieva leads standings as 15-year-old competes amid cloud of controversy

Emerging from a cloud of controversy and recrimination, 15-year-old Kamila Valieva delivered her lowest score of the season but it was still more than enough to lead the women’s figure skating competition after the short programme at the Winter Olympics in Beijing.

Valieva, cleared to compete on Monday by an ad-hoc committee of the Court of Arbitration for Sport despite a positive drugs test, stumbled on her opening triple axel, but her total of 82.16 was enough to put her in first place, above her compatriot Anna Shcherbakova, who scored a season-best 80.20.

It leaves Valieva as the clear favourite to win the event when it concludes with the free skate on Thursday. But if she finishes in the top three, no medals will be awarded, with the podium put on hold until the full investigations into the Russian’s doping case has concluded.

Valieva’s fellow competitors criticised the decision. Asked if she had sympathy for Valieva, Great Britain’s Natasha McKay said: “I have sympathy for whoever will be on the podium who won’t be receiving their medals – it’s the most important part of the Olympics and they won’t get that chance.

“I wish it was a level playing field and it’s not, but they’ve made a decision they’ve made and I can’t do anything about that.”

American Mariah Bell, whose team-mates are still awaiting their medals after finishing in the silver medal position behind Russia in last week’s team event, added: “I feel sad for my team-mates. It seems wrong to punish people who have done things the right way.”

In Moscow, meanwhile, giant posters appeared on the side of tower blocks with a picture of the skater bearing the message: “Kamila – we are with you.”

Valieva had been cleared to compete despite returning a positive