Valieva cleared of 'fault or negligence' for failed drugs test ahead of Olympics
A Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) disciplinary tribunal has ruled that teenage ice skater Kamila Valieva was not guilty of any "fault or negligence" for her failed drugs test ahead of the Winter Olympics last year.
Valieva tested positive for performance-enhancing drug trimetazidine in December 2021, but was able to compete in the 2022 Games in Beijing at the age of 15.
The Russian was cleared to take to the ice in "exceptional circumstances", largely due to her age ensuring she was considered to be a "protected person" under World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) rules.
It was revealed on Friday that RUSADA will not sanction Valieva, now aged 16, aside from the disqualification of her results on the date of the sample collection on Christmas Day in 2021.
She won a team gold medal in Beijing and won the European Championships singles title in Tallinn last year.
WADA has requested a copy of the full reasoned decision made by RUSADA and "will not hesitate to exercise its right of appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, as appropriate."
A WADA statement added: "The decision in this case comes in the wake of WADA's announcement on 8 November 2022 that following an unacceptable delay by RUSADA in rendering a decision in this matter, the Agency had referred it directly to CAS.
"In that referral, WADA sought a four-year period of ineligibility for the athlete. Following a full review of the RUSADA decision, WADA will consider what its next steps will be so that the matter is dealt with as quickly as possible and without further undue delay.
"WADA can make no further comment until it has received and reviewed the reasoned decision and case file."