Winter Olympics: Kamila Valieva to discover fate before next event after doping ban appeal

Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva will hear a ruling on her doping ban appeal before her scheduled appearance in the individual event at Beijing 2022. 

The International Testing Agency confirmed the 15-year-old had failed a drugs test in December, having tested positive for the banned substance trimetazidine. 

While the drug is used in the prevention of angina attacks, it remains on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s banned list because it is classed as a cardiac metabolic modulator and has been proven to improve physical efficiency. 

Valieva helped the Russian Olympic Committee win gold in the team figure skating event on Monday but the medal ceremony was postponed because of a “legal issue.” 

The teenager was preliminarily banned but the Russian Anti Doping Agency lifted her suspension, enabling her to continue competing at this year’s Games. 

Valieva was spotted training as normal on Thursday with coach Eteri Tutberidze and practising alongside teammate Alexandra Trusova. 

The International Olympic Committee and the International Skating Union have both appealed against the decision and called on the Court of Arbitration for Sport to reinstate Valieva’s suspension. 

CAS will now hear the case before the Russian is set to compete in the individual event, which starts on Tuesday, February 15th. 

The teenage prodigy is considered for the women’s singles and became the first female skater to ever land a quadruple jump earlier this week. 

IOC spokesman Mark Adams stressed there would not be a medal ceremony for the team event until the outcome of the CAS hearing and that he wanted a resolution “as quickly as possible.” 

This is not the first time Russian athletes have been at the centre of doping scandals. The country