Russian figure skater leads despite controversy, while British duo escape injury after bobsleigh crash.
Kamila Valieva, the 15-year-old Russian figure skater, returned to the Winter Olympics ice for the women’s short programme, visibly emotional as she competed despite a court ruling that she tested positive for a banned substance. The young athlete, still under investigation, has been permitted to continue competing after a panel of arbitrators from the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled in her favor. While she is the overwhelming favorite to win, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has made it clear that if she triumphs, the medal ceremony will be delayed pending the completion of the doping probe. Valieva currently leads the event after the first of two skate routines.
In the bobsleigh competition, Great Britain’s Brad Hall and Nick Gleeson faced misfortune as their sled overturned during the penultimate run of the two-man event. Despite crashing, both athletes emerged uninjured. Hall and Gleeson had started the final day in 11th place, trailing the leaders by 1.36 seconds after the initial runs.
