Kamila Valieva shined in her first performance at the Olympics.
The Russian figure skating wunderkind became the first woman to land a quadruple jump in her figure skating routine at just 15 years old and secured a score of 178.92. That performance helped the ROC claim the gold medal with 74 points in the team figure skating competition, edging out the U.S. (65 points) and Japan (63 points).
But after the event, the International Testing Agency reported that Valieva had trimetazidine, a banned heart medication, in her system during an event in December. She had been suspended by the Russian Anti-Doping Agency, but the decision was reversed.
After several days in limbo, Valieva won a reprieve Monday when the Court of Arbitration for Sport cleared her to participate in the women's individual event, ruling that preventing her from doing so "would cause her irreparable harm in the circumstances." But there is a catch: The International Olympic Committee said it would not hold a medal ceremony if Valieva ends up finishing in the top three of the event.
She is well on her way after earning the top score in Tuesday's short program with an 82.16, nearly two points ahead of countrywoman Anna Shcherbakova. That gives Valieva a significant edge heading into Thursday's free skate, which will determine the medalists.
Here's everything to know about the latest doping controversy involving a Russian athlete, and what makes it such a complicated situation at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
MORE: Why Russia is called 'ROC' at the 2022 Winter Olympics
Kamila Valieva Olympics doping case, explained
At the center of the Valieva case is the fact that she tested positive prior to the Olympics.
During the Russian Figure Skating Championships in St. Petersburg, Russia, on Dec. 25, 2021, Valieva tested positive for trimetazidine. The results of the test did not come in until Tuesday, a day after the team event, prompting Russia's Anti-Doping Agency to ban her indefinitely. Valieva appealed the decision, and her ban was lifted on Wednesday.
The positive test had come from a lab in Sweden, with the Russian agency reporting that the delay had been due to the coronavirus, according to the Associated Press. The hospital overseeing the lab told the AP it could not comment on a pending case.
Because of the positive test, the AP reported that Valieva is expected to have a national title she won back in December revoked.
The ROC released a statement saying that since Dec. 25, Valieva had passed doping tests prior to and since that competition, and that all of them came back negative. It said the original suspension on Tuesday was made because a final decision in her case had yet to be determined and after an expedited hearing, the RUSADA decided to cancel the suspension. Because she has tested negative since then and her positive test was not taken during the Olympics, the ROC said Valieva's results should not be called into question.
"At present, an athlete has the right to train and take part in competitions in full without restrictions, unless the Court of Arbitration for Sport decides otherwise regarding her status in relation to the Olympic Games," the ROC said in the statement.
In an interview with The New York Times, U.S. Anti-Doping Agency chief executive Travis Tygart called the situation a "complete catastrophic failure to athletes and public confidence" and said it was "total gross incompetence" for the lab results to take over a month to report. Tygart said that given the upcoming Olympics, the results should have been expedited.
"It's heartbreaking, because this didn't need to happen and shouldn't have happened," Tygart told The Times.
A report from The New York Times on Feb. 15 found that Valieva had three different substances for treating heart conditions in her sample. The other two drugs were hypoxen and L-Carnatine, which are not banned.
Tygart told the latest Times report that using a mix of the three substances "seemed to be aimed at increasing endurance, reducing fatigue and promoting greater efficiency in using oxygen."
MORE: Russians' figure skating gold medal ceremony delayed following positive drug test
Kamila Valieva hearing decision
After a video hearing that lasted nearly six hours, a three-person panel from the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled that Kamila Valieva should be allowed to participate in the Olympics.
The ruling issued early Monday made it clear that Valieva's age — which makes her a "protected person" in Olympic parlance — was a key factor in the dispute. It also noted that Valieva's positive test did not occur in Beijing, and "the Panel considered that preventing the Athlete from competing at the Olympic Games would cause her irreparable harm in these circumstances."
The panel noted "serious issues" in Valieva's positive test from December not coming to light until the middle of the Olympics nearly two months later, but noted that the delay "was not her fault."
In determining that Valieva could continue to skate in Beijing, the panel closed with a statement emphasizing that its job in this case was only to consider that specific question, not the larger issues at play.
The CAS Ad hoc Division was requested to determine the narrow issue as to whether a provisional suspension should be imposed on the athlete. It was not requested to rule on the merits of this case, nor to examine the legal consequences relating to the results of the team event in figure skating, as such issues will be examined in other proceedings.
The International Olympic Committee issued a statement after the ruling saying it "has to follow the rule of law and will therefore have to allow her to compete" in the women's individual competition.
However, the IOC added that "it would not be appropriate" to hold a medal ceremony for the team event in Beijing, and it also will not do so if Valieva finishes in a podium position in the individual event.
If Valieva does win a medal and is eventually cleared of doping allegations, the IOC said, it will organize "dignified medal ceremonies" at some point in the future.
Valieva's lawyers defense
The Russian figure skater's representation argued that her positive drug test was caused by a mix-up with her grandfather's heart medication, an Olympic official said on Tuesday.
Lawyers for Valieva are said to have "presented elements that brought some doubts about her guilt.''
"Her argument was this contamination happened with a product her grandfather was taking," Denis Oswald, the International Olympic Committee's permanent chair of the disciplinary commission said.
In the Feb. 15 Times report, it was reported that Valieva's mother had said during a hearing that Valieva was taking hypoxen, one of the other two substances found in her blood sample, due to heart "variations."
What did Valieva say after the verdict?
"I'm happy, but I'm tired emotionally," she said during the NBC broadcast on Monday night.
What is trimetazidine?
Trimetazidine is an antianginal drug that increases blood flow to the heart, according to Reuters. The drug is commonly used to treat heart conditions.
MedStar Georgetown University Hospital medical toxicology professor Dr. Kelly Johnson-Arbor said in the report that in sports using a lot of energy, it can "help your heart function better theoretically." Reuters also reported that it has been on the World Anti-Doping Agency's list of prohibited substances since 2014.
Tygart explained to The Times that Valieva would have needed to file paperwork prior to her testing if she was taking trimetazidine due to the recommendation of a doctor.
In The Times report, it said Chinese gold medalist swimmer Sun Yang and Russian bobsledder Nadezhda Sergeeva have each been banned for using the drug.
Kamila Valieva's Olympics schedule
Valieva has already helped the ROC to team gold at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, and has one more event before the end of the Games. The teen is considered a heavy gold-medal favorite in the individual competition.
- Feb. 5 — Figure Skating: Team women's short program qualification
- Feb. 6 — Figure Skating: Team women's free skate final
- Feb. 15 — Figure Skating: Women's singles short program
- Feb. 17 — Figure Skating: Women's singles free skate