Russian Skater caught with PEDs STILL allowed to compete.

She failed a drug test. Like Ben Johnson did. So I wonder what "information" CAS has that changes that. I doubt it was a "kissing" excuse.

It would appear the CAS is leaning on "due process" as the sole reasoning. According to Sports Illustrated a sample drawn on Dec 25 while she skated at the Russian national championships was not tested until Feb 8, thus Valieva has not had time to defend herself and apparently there hasn't been enough time to test the B sample. 

Honestly, with Russia proven guilty of systematic use and cover-ups of PEDs (I believe that most countries have athletes that use, but that's another issue all by itself) I don't get why not testing samples for 6 weeks on the doorstep of the Olympics is OK. EVERY Russian athlete should be barred from competition. All of them. This is complete and utter nonsense. And there is nothing to defend in the case of Valieva. Because of the recent issues with PED use, EVERY Russian athlete would have to walk the straight and narrow. Unless you are an apologist, this is a pretty clear case of someone trying to skirt or break the rules.

When you look at it this way, it's only fair that she is allowed to compete. It's a sad situation and it shouldn't have taken as long to test the sample but perhaps anyone living in Russia (at least during the sport's season) should not be allowed to compete.

One of the great things about running is that you can actually follow athletes over the course of years - sometimes decades.

The larger point of the article is that women's figure skating no longer supports actual careers, like Katarina Witt enjoyed, for instance. I think that is sad.

Rather, Eteri Tutberidze, the Russian coach, has developed a system and approach that uses and then discards girls after their physical development precludes quad jumps. Valieva was never going to have a "career" in the normal sense of the word. Regardless of what happens in this Olympics, you won't see her in the next. She'll be replaced by the next pre-pubescent sensation.

Ok, all haters, all mass media.

You tried so hard to destroy a 15-year old girl... You succeeded.

She pretty much stopped skating half way and went to 4th place.

Other Russians took 1st and 2nd as expected. And Valieva would have easily been 1st if she just repeated her team skating.

But you succeeded in what you all wanted.

That's not our fault. Its entirely the fault of the Russian officials and her coach who either allowed or forced her to take a banned drug.

They were able to question Kamila directly. They would have asked why she declared the other non-banned drugs on her doping control list. They would asked for details about her medical issues, her heart problems, and whatever else.

Let that be a lesson to her. Don’t do drugs! Just say no!

It's entirely your fault, and everyone that joined in the public lynching. You should be proud of yourself. You succeeded immensely.

Nobody knows whether she took a banned substance, or if she did, whether it was intentional, or if her coaches had anything to do with it. The only ones who have a clue about that are the CAS. And they decided the evidence was flimsy enough to allow her to compete. Those are the facts.

You're an idiot. She tested positive for a banned substance. Even the Russian officials don't dispute that. The Russians are simply trying to claim that her taking the banned substance was an accident. Pay attention.

"Generation Hate" wins again.

It may be that CAS took knowledge of the fact that as a protected person, even if she fails a drug test, she may be subject to no sanction.

Therefore stopping her compete could be worse than any actual punishment and therefore disproportionate.

Non protected people know they will have some sort of ban, so an immediate suspension is fair.

She is guilty as hell though, as are her parents and coaches. Just because she is fifteen doesnt mean she doesnt have a clue. it is truly systemic in russia and of course as in the usa with their protection of scr and shelby.

There's no need for name-calling. You already won. She succumbed to the pressure. She won't be on the podium. You should be doing your victory dance. This is your moment. Be happy!!

You need to look this word up because you are not using it correctly. Some moran here once said it means a 1 to 1 infection rate (or something like that), so for every positive test there should be a negative test. Duh.

It might also be that she had a medical issue that warranted the heart medications. It's all speculation for us. Nobody knows because the CAS hearing wasn't public. All we know for sure is that the CAS thought there was a high enough chance of innocence to let her skate.

Here's food for thought. If Shacarri Richardson decided to fight her positive PED test results back in June, everyone here would have agreed that she has a right to appeal the test and defend herself.

So I, a US citizen, should be happy a Russian lost which allowed a Russian to win? You make no sense.