'Pervasive disregard': USA lashes Russian teen's doping decision
The US Olympic and Paralympic Committee has hit out at the decision to allow Russian teen figure skater Kamila Valieva to continue competing at the Winter Olympics, despite failing a drugs test.
In a case that has rocked the Games, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled the 15-year-old could take part in the women's singles event that begins on Tuesday.
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The young Russian will be favourite to win but she has not been cleared of doping and could still face punishment at a later date.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said if Valieva finishes in the top three, it will not hold a medal ceremony until the doping issue is resolved.
“It would not be appropriate to hold the medal ceremony," the IOC said.
CAS said it had rejected appeals by the IOC, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the International Skating Union to have Valieva's suspension reinstated after it was lifted by Russian anti-doping authorities.
In making its controversial ruling, CAS cited Valieva's age and the "irreparable harm" it could have on her young career, as reasons for the decision.
CAS emphasised that "there were serious issues of untimely notification" of the test result.
Valieva gave a sample on December 25 but the result was only produced last week, after she led Russia to team gold.
"Such late notification was not her fault, in the middle of the Olympic Winter Games," the ruling said.
Matthieu Reeb, CAS director general, said preventing Valieva from competing would have caused her "irreparable harm".
The Russian Olympic Committee hailed the decision, saying: "Tomorrow the whole country will support her."
However, the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee said it was "disappointed by the message this decision sends".
"This appears to be another chapter in the systemic and pervasive disregard for clean sport by Russia," it said.
Valieva tested positive for trimetazidine, which is used to treat angina but is banned because it can increase blood flow efficiency and help endurance.
It took six weeks for the result of the test to be processed by a WADA-accredited laboratory in Stockholm.
The Russian anti-doping agency (RUSADA) was notified of the positive result on February 8 and suspended Valieva, but she appealed and the suspension was lifted.
RUSADA has said it was informed the sharp rise in Covid-19 cases at the start of the year was the reason for the delay.
"We would not have this case and I would not be here if these anti-doping test procedures would have been completed in one week or 10 days," Reeb said.
IOC 'not happy' with situation
The day before she received the result, Valieva helped Russia win the figure skating team title with a dazzling performance as she became the first woman to land a quadruple jump in Olympic competition.
The IOC said it had no choice but to allow Valieva to compete but it will not hold a ceremony during the Games if the Russian is among the medals - and the award ceremony for the team event will not take place for the same reason.
Earlier, referring to the team event medals, IOC spokesman Mark Adams said: "It's a dilemma we are all in and it's something we're not happy with."
The United States won the silver medal in the team event and Japan took the bronze, with Canada fourth.
WADA meanwhile said it was investigating Valieva's entourage, which includes highly successful coach Eteri Tutberidze.
CAS's decision will be intensely scrutinised because Russia is already under sanctions for a massive state-sponsored doping programme that reached its peak at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.
As a result, Russians are competing in Beijing only under the flag of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC).
with agencies
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