See All the Drama from Thursday's Women's Figure Skating Final in Photos

Frontrunner Kamila Valieva of ROC, currently under scrutiny for a failed December drug test, had a shocking skate in Beijing that had coaches and competitors filled with mixed emotions

Kamila Valieva. Catherine Ivill/Getty Images

Tensions were high the morning of Feb. 17 in Beijing as Team ROC figure skater Kamila Valieva took the ice. The 15-year-old — an early breakout star of the Games — came under much scrutiny this week when it was revealed she failed a drug test in December, testing positive for the banned substance Trimetazidine, a heart medication.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) didn't suspend Valieva and allowed her to continue competing in the women's short and free skate programs this week, though as punishment, if she were to place, there would not be a medal ceremony as her case continues to be reviewed.

However in her free skate program on Thursday morning, Valieva fell, landing just one of her three planned quads, and failed to medal. The emotional fallout was monumental.

Kamila Valieva. David Ramos/Getty Images

Valieva fell several times early in the free skate and again on her final quad, unusual for a skater who was in the lead after Tuesday's women's short program with a score of 82.16. Her final score was 141.93, giving her a combined total of 224.09.

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She did soar high on her successful quad, though, and gave a program full of difficult elements set to composer Maurice Ravel's piece "Boléro."

Of the decision to let her keep competing, the CAS cited Valieva's status as a "protected person" (a minor) in making the choice in accordance with the World Anti-Doping Code.

"The panel considered that preventing the athlete to compete at the Olympic Games would cause her irreparable harm in the circumstances," CAS Director General Matthieu Reeb said in a statement on mental health ramifications, per the Associated Press.

Team USA's Sarah Hirshland, CEO of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, previously said the organization was "disappointed by the message this decision sends."

Kamila Valieva. Catherine Ivill/Getty Images

Following her routine, the young skater broke down in tears.

"I can't imagine how tough this has been on Kamila and it makes me angry that the adults around her weren't able to make better decision and guide her and be there for her, because she's the one now dealing with the consequences and she's just 15 and that's not fair," former Olympic medalist and NBC commentator Tara Lipinski said during the event. "But again, that being said, she should not have been allowed to skate."

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Coach Eteri Tutberidze (left) and choreographer Daniil Gleikhengauz comforted Valieva as she received her scores, though Weir — who speaks Russian — said Tutberidze was critiquing Valieva's performance immediately as she stepped off the ice.

"Here's hoping there is someone to put their arms around that young woman and guide her," commentator Terry Gannon said.

Despite her performance — and the implications behind it — Valieva received a standing ovation and plenty of "Kamila!" cheers from the crowd, which included other members of Team ROC.

Others reacted to her missed moves with shock and sadness.

Off the ice, Valieva received a hug from a colleague as her teammate, silver medalist Alexandra Trusova, got visibly emotional in the background. "I can't see this! I won't see this!" is what she was saying, per Johnny Weir's translation from Russian.

Skater Anna Shcherbakova reacts to the women's individual event at the Beijing Winter Olympics.

Gold medalist, fellow Team ROC member Anna Shcherbakova, sat alone in stunned silence following the scoring and Valieva's emotional exit from the rink.

"I think everybody is trying to make sense of what they just saw," said Gannon. Added Lipinski, "But this is why you don't let something like this happen in the first place, because it affects everyone involved, not just Kamila."

Said Weir of Team ROC, "These girls are so close. These young women live their lives alongside one another and it's hard not to be affected when you see that reaction and destruction of a young person at the end of their performance."

Though Trusova expressed emotions over her teammate's situation, she was also upset about her own place on the podium, saying, "I'm not going, I'm not going, I'm not going."

Skater Kaori Sakamoto reacts to the women's individual event at the Beijing Winter Olympics.

Bronze medalist Kaori Sakamoto walked around the ice with tissues in hand; Gannon said in his commentary that earlier in the week, the Team Japan skater had said "all the nerves became tears."

Sergei BobylevTASS via Getty Images

Since Valieva did not place, a medal ceremony will be held, celebrating (from left) silver medalist Trusova, gold medalist Shcherbakova and bronze medalist Sakamoto, who received small versions of Olympics mascot Bing Dwen Dwen in the post-skate flower ceremony.

"Thank goodness for all the other medalists to have that moment, and to have done it cleanly," Lipinski said. "I have never seen an Olympic ladies event like this, ever."