Winter Olympics: Kamila Valieva ruling splits opinion after she's cleared to compete

Reaction to teenage figure-skater Kamila Valieva’s doping hearing has been mixed, after the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled that the Russian could compete again at this year’s Winter Olympics. 

The 15-year-old tested positive for the banned substance trimetazidine in December, which is classed by WADA as a cardiac metabolic modular and has been shown to improve physical efficiency. 

Valieva was provisionally suspended on February 8th, but the Russian Anti-Doping Agency lifted the ban the next day. 

The International Olympic Committee subsequently launched an appeal, along with the World Anti-Doping Agency and the International Skating Union, challenging Russia’s decision to lift the provisional suspension. 

CAS has now turned down this challenge and ruled that the Russian’s “exceptional circumstances” mean she should not be provisionally suspended. 

The ruling stressed the late notification of the failed test was not Valieva’s fault and that: “The athlete should benefit from the following exceptional circumstances: She is under 16 and a protected person under the WADA code.” 

It’s important to note that CAS’ ruling does not mean Valieva has been cleared of doping –– only that she’s been cleared to compete for now. After the Games, she will likely face a full doping hearing and may be stripped of any medals she wins. 

Nonetheless, the decision has sparked contrasting opinions. Many are outraged by CAS’ verdict, while others have emphasised there was little choice, given the situation. 

USA Today columnist Christine Brennan stressed how this is a backwards step in the battle to prevent doping offences and that this “awful decision” by CAS has plunged the Winter Olympics into chaos. 

“CAS decision: Kamila Valieva is