Kamila Valieva, Russia’s figure skating star and the favorite to win the women’s individual event by far, stunningly faltered several times on the ice Thursday, handing a victory to a Russian teammate after days of controversy over a doping scandal.
Considered by many to be one of the greatest figure skaters in recent history, Valieva, 15, slipped or fell at least four times as she skated to “Bolero.” She wept as she left the ice and finished fourth, avoiding the question of whether the outcome of the doping investigation would deny her a medal earned as a top-three finisher.