TEEN VALIEVA IS CLEARED TO KEEP SKATING

RUSSIAN 15-YEAR-OLD WILL COMPETE FOR INDIVIDUAL GOLD DESPITE FAILING A DRUGS TEST IN DECEMBER

- Matt Majendie

RUSSIAN figure skater Kamila Valieva has been cleared to compete in tomorrow's individual women's competition, despite her failed drugs test.

The 15-year-old tested positive for the banned substance trimetazidine following a sample taken on Christmas Day. But she was not informed of the result until last Tuesday, the day after helping the Russian Olympic Committee win team gold.

The teenager was provisionally suspended by the Russian Anti-Doping Agency before they lifted that sanction on appeal. The International Olympic Committee, World Anti-Doping Agency and International Skating Union then appealed that decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Earlier today, the three-person CAS panel, sitting in Beijing, ruled that Valieva (right, today) was eligible to take part in her individual event. It concluded: "On the basis of the very limited facts of this case and after consideration of the relevant legal issues, it has been determined that no provisional suspension should be imposed on the athlete.”