Citing the fact Valieva, now 16 but 15 at the time she failed a pre-Beijing 2022 drugs test, is a "protected person" under the World Anti-Doping Code, it says all details will remain confidential.

This includes hearing dates, any charges it brings against Valieva and the final resolution.

The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) has slammed RUSADA, saying keeping the decision secret "makes a mockery of the whole process."

The confidential RUSADA verdict is unlikely to represent the end of the saga, as the decision will be subject to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport - be that by Valieva, the International Skating Union (ISU), International Olympic Committee (IOC) or World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

"If she is rightfully exonerated, then there is nothing to hide and it should be made public," USADA chief executive Travis Tygart said to insidethegames.

"Certainly, keeping the decision and facts secret makes a mockery of the whole process and there is no wonder athletes and the public do not trust the global WADA anti-doping system.

"WADA, ISU and the IOC should immediately announce an appeal any such decision and hold an open process, as the rules provide, so that there is confidence in the final outcome. 

"Short of this, it’s impossible for athletes or the public to believe what happened at the 2022 Beijing Games was real and not just another fraudulent win by the Russians like so many before, as the evidence has clearly shown."

RUSADA did not even identify Valieva by name in a statement announcing the policy, referring instead to "the figure skater, a member of the ROC team".

RUSADA was informed of Valieva's positive test for the banned substance trimetazidine on February 8, the day after she had helped the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) to secure team gold at the Winter Olympics.

A medal ceremony has still not taken place for the team figure skating event at Beijing 2022 because of the failed drugs test.

The United States finished second, Japan third and Canada fourth - but all could be in line for an upgrade.

RUSADA opted not to provisionally suspend Valieva, allowing the world record-holder to compete in the women's event at Beijing 2022.

The IOC, ISU and WADA all filed appeals to the CAS to have a provisional suspension reimposed, but these were dismissed.

Valieva came fourth in the women's event and was in tears at the end.

The ROC skater had led after the short programme but fell several times in the free skate.

Valieva tested positive for trimetazidine in a sample provided on December 25.

The WADA-accredited laboratory in Stockholm did not report the failure until February 8.

In its full verdict on the initial WADA, ISU and IOC appeal, the CAS slammed the anti-doping authorities' "failure to function effectively".

It judged that provisionally suspending Valieva would cause the teenager "irreparable harm".

Had the reporting process been completed within 20 days of the sample being collected as is laid out by WADA's International Standard for Laboratories, the athlete would have had more than two weeks before the Winter Olympics to have filed a request to the CAS for provisional measures.

The written judgement went on to criticise anti-doping authorities for the creation of a situation where Valieva, "through no fault of hers, and without any allegation of improper conduct of anyone... finds herself at the Olympic Winter Games being put on notice of an alleged ADRV [anti-doping rule violation] from a sample taken 44 days prior".

Processing delays at the WADA-accredited laboratory in Stockholm were blamed on staffing problems brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

WADA has also at least partly blamed RUSADA, claiming Valieva's sample "was not flagged by RUSADA as being a priority sample when it was received by the anti-doping laboratory in Stockholm".

Valieva's legal team has claimed trimetazidine could have entered her system through contamination, with Valieva's grandfather said to be using the angina medication.

Because Valieva is a protected person, any punishment for an anti-doping rule violation is liable to be less than would otherwise be the case.

RUSADA is currently deemed by WADA to be non-compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code.

Russia's name, flag and anthem have been banned from major events such as the Olympics for two years because of sanctions imposed on RUSADA in response to the cover-up of a Russian state-sponsored doping programme.