On August 2, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) denied Canada’s appeal to receive the team figure skating bronze medal from the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, confirming the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) team’s third-place finish.
Russian teenager Kamila Valieva had been found guilty of doping during the Beijing Olympics, resulting in a four-year ban and the ROC’s team name being removed from the list of team event winners.
It was anticipated that the bronze medal would be awarded to Canada, which had originally finished fourth. However, the International Skating Union (ISU) announced that the ROC’s overall score, even after deducting Valieva’s points, remained one point higher than Canada’s.
Last month, CAS, the highest sports court, reviewed Skate Canada’s appeal. CAS concluded that while Valieva’s disqualification was justified, ISU regulations did not allow for her points to be reallocated to the Canadian team.
The United States and Japan had already secured the gold and silver medals, respectively.
In a statement, Skate Canada expressed disappointment with CAS’s decision while commending their athletes’ efforts and performance.
“We are deeply disappointed that CAS’s ruling does not award the bronze medal to Canada, but we fully support and appreciate the dedication of our athletes,” the statement read. “We wholeheartedly congratulate the USA and Japan on winning the gold and silver medals.”
The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) echoed the sentiment, stating that they believed Valieva’s points should have been reassigned to Canada following her doping confirmation.
“The CAS decision is unfortunate. We admire the grace and resilience of our Canadian skaters throughout this lengthy process and are proud of their performance both on and off the ice,” the COC said.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced it would not challenge the ruling.
“The IOC has taken note of the CAS decision and respects it,” the IOC stated.
The IOC has scheduled a medal ceremony for Wednesday in Paris, where the American team will receive their gold medals.
