Fifteen-year-old Kamila Valieva marked her Olympic debut last week by becoming the first female figure skater to land a hugely demanding quadruple jump, as the Russian and her compatriots leapt into first place in the team event.
Two days later Valieva was told that she had tested positive for a banned drug, thrusting the young star into the centre of an international dispute that has disrupted two medal events and refocused scrutiny on the International Olympic Committee’s relations with Russia — already under a national ban for state-sponsored doping.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled on Monday that Valieva could continue to compete in this week’s individual skating event while appealing her positive drugs test. The decision sparked anger from athletes’ groups and western competitors who placed the blame at the ineffectiveness of the IOC’s existing sanctions against Russia.