Reuters/Maxim Shemetov
Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva, who was controversially permitted to continue skating at the 2022 Beijing Olympics despite failing a drug test, was issued a four-year retroactive ban from the sport on Monday—a decision that’s expected to strip Russia of a gold medal in team figure skating.
With Russia stripped of its medal, the United States, who finished in second, appear poised to be named Olympic champions, but the International Olympic Committee is yet to officially rule on the matter.
The decision to ban Valieva, 17, was made by a three-member panel at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Geneva, Switzerland. The sporting body had previously cited “exceptional circumstances” in allowing Valieva to compete—but not be awarded medals—in Beijing.