The tribunal imposed no sanction except for the disqualification of her results on the date of the sample collection on December 25 in 2021, which was taken on the day she won the singles at the Russian Championships in Saint-Petersburg when Valieva was only 15, making her a "minor" under the rules of the World Anti-Doping Code.

It would mean the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) would be allowed to keep the Olympic gold medals they won in the team event at Beijing 2022.

The controversial decision to effectively clear Valieva without any punishment seems certain to be appealed against by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

"WADA notes this outcome and has requested a copy of the full reasoned decision, which it will review together with the case file in order to determine whether the ruling is in line with the terms of the World Anti-Doping Code," they said in a statement.

"However, based on the elements of the case with which WADA is already familiar, the agency is concerned by the finding of 'no fault or negligence' and will not hesitate to exercise its right of appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, as appropriate."

insidethegames had exclusively revealed that Valieva had tested positive for trimetazidine following analysis at the WADA-accredited laboratory in Stockholm, the day after the ROC had earned team gold in Beijing, finishing in front of the United States and Japan. 

As a result of the revelations, the medal ceremony was postponed and will not take place until after the case has been heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

WADA had announced in November that following an unacceptable delay by RUSADA in rendering a decision on the matter, the Agency had referred it directly to CAS.

In that referral, WADA sought a four-year period of ineligibility for Valieva, who finished fourth in the singles events event at Beijing 2022 after falling several times during the free skate as the pressure appeared to overwhelm her.

"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," they said in their statement.

"WADA can make no further comment until it has received and reviewed the reasoned decision and case file."

RUSADA director general Veronika Loginova revealed that they may appeal the decision themselves.

"RUSADA has not yet received the full text of the decision of the Disciplinary Anti-Doping Committee, namely its reasoning part," she told Russia's official state news agency TASS.

"We will conduct a legal assessment of the rationale for the decision taken by the committee. 

"After reviewing the reasoning part of the decision of the Disciplinary Committee in this case, RUSADA will consider the possibility of appealing it.

"We expect to receive the full text of the decision in soon and without any delay."

There was support for the decision from Dmitry Svishchev, chairman of the State Duma Committee on Physical Culture and Sports.

"We welcome the decision of the RUSADA Disciplinary Dommittee," Svishchev, who is also President of the Russian Curling Federation, told TASS. 

"I am sure that behind such a decision there is a seriously supported motivational decision. 

"And in CAS, such a professional organisation as RUSADA will have to have a serious legal position."