In a recent ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva has been banned from the sport for four years due to a positive doping test in 2021. Despite the disqualification, Russia will still receive bronze medals from the 2022 Beijing Olympics, as confirmed by a top sports court.

According to NBC News, the United States will now claim the gold medal in the team event, while Japan will be upgraded from silver to bronze. Although Valieva's earned points have been stripped from the Russian team, they will retain the third-place position, narrowly edging out fourth-place Canada.

The ban for Valieva, who is currently 17 years old, was enforced by CAS after she tested positive for the heart medication trimetazidine, a substance prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency since 2014. Valieva claimed that she accidentally ingested the medication. Her ban will be lifted in time for the 2026 Italy Games.

The International Skating Union (ISU) announced that there will be an amended scoring system for the Beijing competition following the CAS ruling. Valieva's 10 points from two of her events have been revoked, and no extra points have been awarded to the teams that placed after her. The final decision on medal allocation will ultimately be made by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), with the possibility of Canada legally challenging the decision.

"The ISU is closely collaborating with the IOC and the relevant ISU member federations to ensure the implementation of this decision," stated the ISU, acknowledging the ongoing discussions surrounding the medal allocation.

As the controversy continues, the focus now shifts to the IOC's ultimate decision regarding the medals and the potential for legal challenges from Canada. The outcome will carry significant weight for both the affected athletes and the integrity of the Olympic Games.