US Figure Skating's Appeal for Olympic Team Medal Rejected amid ROC Controversy
Team USA figure skaters who sought to receive their silver medal from the team event early in the 2022 Winter Olympics before they leave Beijing had an appeal denied by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on Saturday.
Les Carpenter of the Washington Post reported the CAS sided with the International Olympic Committee after the Associated Press' Eddie Pells previously reported on the appeal and the push for a "rapid ruling" ahead of the closing ceremonies on Sunday.
The medals are being withheld after the IOC announced events where Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva, who's under investigation following a positive drug test in December, finished on the podium wouldn't feature medal ceremonies until her case concludes.
Valieva and the Russian Olympic Committee won the team event, which took place Feb. 4 through Feb. 7 and featured eight separate disciplines. Japan secured the bronze.
The U.S. skaters also sent a letter to IOC president Thomas Bach saying the governing body's "own rules mandate that a victory ceremony 'to present medals to the athletes shall follow the conclusion of each sports event,'" per Pells.
Bach had offered the skaters a memento, such as an Olympic torch, as a holdover item until a final ruling on Valieva's case was handed down. Given those cases often include a lengthy court battle, the U.S. team doesn't want to wait months or years for the medal.
"Having a medal ceremony at an Olympic Games is not something that can be replicated anywhere else, and they should be celebrated in front of the world before leaving Beijing," U.S. Figure Skating executive director Ramsey Baker told the AP.
Denis Oswald, chairman of the IOC's Disciplinary Commission, said Tuesday the case will include a review of the Russian teenager's entourage.
"It is clearly a wish and a decision of the IOC but also WADA to examine all aspects of this case including the situation of the entourage, because of course you can imagine a girl of 15 would not do something wrong alone—so yes, the entourage will be investigated," Oswald told reporters.
Valieva is a "protected person" under the World Anti-Doping Code because of her age and in turn "is not expected to receive a harsh penalty," per Pells.
That said, if the ROC's team results are eventually thrown out, the U.S. will move up into gold-medal position followed by Japan and Canada, which finished fourth.
Top performers for Team USA in the team competition included winners in the men's short program (Nathan Chen), rhythm ice dance (Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue) and free ice dance (Madison Chock and Evan Bates).
The Beijing Games' closing ceremony is scheduled for Sunday at 7 a.m. ET.
