BEIJING, China — Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva is leading the women's figure skating competition after the short program while she remains at the center of a controversy over failing a doping test before the Winter Olympics.
The 15-year-old is a favorite in the women's competition, after leading the Russian team to a gold medal in the team event. She scored 82.16 in the short program, which was well above most of the rest of the field.
She became emotional after her performance, barely holding back tears as she skated off the ice.
A Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled Monday that Valieva could compete in the women's event despite testing positive for a banned heart medication from a sample taken in December.
Many former Olympians have criticized the court's decision, including NBC commentators Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir.
"We should not have seen this skate," Lipinski said after calling Valieva's short program. "...I don't know how many times over the past year I've said that she's the best figure skater I've ever seen, and just saying that now not only makes me confused but it makes me angry and again disoriented by everything that I thought that I knew."
Although she can compete in the women's individual event, the investigation into her doping test will take months, and Valieva might be stripped of medals later.
Kamila Valieva's short program
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