Russian teenager Kamila Valieva dominated the Olympic ice on Tuesday night, fighting back tears as she completed a skate that put her at the top of the short program standings at the Beijing Winter Olympics. 

The 15-year-old figure skater has been engulfed by a doping scandal in Beijing, but was cheered on by spectators as she took to the ice for first time since news came of her failed doping test.

Valieva had been expected to execute three high-flying triple jumps. But in front of her coach Eteri Tutberidze and doctor Filipp Shvetsky, also now in the harsh spotlight, she stumbled on the opening triple Axel – having fallen twice as she attempted that jump during afternoon practice.

Valieva, wearing a flowing crystal-encrusted purple dress, completed her triple Lutz-triple toeloop combination, but her score of 82.16 points was way below the 90.18 points she collected at the team competition event. 

However, that was still enough to put her ahead of her compatriot and world champion Anna Shcherbakova, on 80.20, and third-placed Kaori Sakamoto of Japan, on 79.84. 

Alexandra Trusova, also competing in the name of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC), was fourth on 74.60, leaving the event with hopes of a medals sweep by the Russians, the first in women's figure skating history at the Olympics.

China's Zhu Yi failed to qualify for the free skate, but she came back to the ice with a smile after her error-filled performance during the team event last week.

Doping case not over yet

On Monday, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled that Valieva could go ahead at the Beijing Olympics, but that does not mean she has been cleared of doping and she could still face punishment at a later date.

According to New York Times, she had three different substances used to treat heart conditions in her urine sample, including Hypoxen and L-Carnitine, which are not on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)'s prohibited list.

Russian media reported that Valieva allegedly drank from the same glass as her grandfather, who takes Trimetazidine for a heart condition.

Meanwhile, WADA president Witold Banka on Tuesday called the CAS's decision to allow Valieva to continue to compete "very controversial."

"We are disappointed with the way the Arbitration Tribunal approached this ruling. I don't know why CAS chose not to rely on the World Anti-Doping Code. This is a very controversial decision, because the code does not provide for special exceptions to the so-called 'temporary suspension' in the case of minors," Banka said.

"We now expect a very intensive investigation of this matter from them. At the same time, WADA will conduct its own investigation," he said.

(With input from agencies)