Who Is Kamila Valieva? Russian Teen Skater's Positive Drug Test Stirs Olympic Controversy

Who is Kamila Valieva: The participation of a 15-year-old skater from Russia at the Beijing Olympics has become the centre point of controversy amid claims of doping. Kamila Valieva made history last week, becoming the first woman to make a quadruple jump at the winter games, securing gold for her team. Her presence at the Olympics, however, is mired in debate owing to a drug test she failed in December last year.

Valieva had tested positive for trimetazidine, a banned drug used to treat heart conditions, in December 2021, before the Winter Olympics that began in China this month. Sporting authorities International Olympic Committee (IOC), the World Anti-Doping Agency and the International Skating Union had appealed for the skater's case to be probed and imposition of a provisional suspension on her.

Citing "exceptional circumstances," the top Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) cleared Valieva's participation Monday.

"The Panel considered fundamental principles of fairness, proportionality, irreparable harm, and the relative balance of interests as between the Applicants and the Athlete, who did not test positive during the Olympic Games in Beijing and is still subject to a disciplinary procedure on the merits following the positive anti-doping test undertaken in December 2021," CAS said in a statement.

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In the latest update, the IOC has said there will be no medal ceremony at the Winter Olympics if Valieva finds a place in the top three of the women's individual figure skating event. A ceremony will also not be conducted for the Russian skating team, Associated Press reports. This has been done in the "interest of fairness to all athletes," the IOC said.

The CAS' decision does not indicate the fate of the team's medal win, weighing in only on the participation of the teen skater at the games. Valieva is scheduled to perform on Tuesday and Thursday again.

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Valieva's urine test was taken on Christmas Day by Russia’s anti-doping agency, with the test results being made public only last week after the games began in Beijing and Valieva led her team to gold.

Reports suggest though Valieva's participation in the games may not be affected by the test result, an investigation into the alleged offence could end in an Olympic ban or disqualification for her. This investigation in Russia, however, will take a considerable period of time.

Image: Reuters / Toby Melville