Why Russia’s 15-year-old gold medallist was allowed to compete at Beijing 2022 despite a failed drug test

Russian teenage figure skater Kamila Valieva failed a drug test taken in December before the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, the International Testing Agency (ITA) confirmed on Friday.

Fifteen-year-old Valieva, a breakout star of the Games who helped the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) take home gold in Monday’s figure skating team event, was allowed to compete despite testing positive for the banned heart drug trimetazidine, which is commonly used to treat people with angina, the ITA said in a statement.

In the video above, Beijing’s COVID protocols for the Olympics are revealed

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

The failed test only came to light during the Winter Olympics, and it remains unclear if the drug test controversy will see the medal revoked.

The scandal continues to delay the awarding of medals to all three teams, silver for Team USA and bronze for Team Japan.

“The decision on the results of the ROC team in the Team Figure Skating event can be taken ... only after a final decision on the full merits of the case has been taken,” the ITA said.

The case will be heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), with a decision needed before the figure skating star’s next event - the women’s singles short program - on Tuesday, in which she is favorite to take gold.

In that hearing, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will challenge a decision by the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) to lift a provisional suspension on the skater, according to the ITA.

Responding to the controversy, the ROC said Valieva had “repeatedly passed doping tests” while already in Beijing, adding that it is taking measures to keep Valieva’s “honestly won” gold.

“The doping test of