Overview
- USOPC formally asked IOC President Kirsty Coventry to grant an extra Olympic quota spot for U.S. skeleton slider Katie Uhlaender, submitting letters of support from several national federations.
- The IOC told Fox News the matter concerns IBSF rules at an IBSF event and said it understands the federation has already responded, without addressing the specific wildcard request.
- At the Jan. 11 North American Cup in Lake Placid, Canada withdrew four women late, dropping the field below 21 and cutting points by 25% under IBSF rules; Uhlaender won but earned 90 points and finished 18 points shy of qualification.
- The IBSF’s integrity unit cleared Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton of rule violations, as BCS cited athlete welfare for the withdrawals; Uhlaender disputes the process, and an IBSF Athlete Council co-chair, Elisabeth Vathje, resigned over a "misalignment of values."
- Uhlaender says she will take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport if needed, with the Milan-Cortina Games opening Feb. 6 and women’s skeleton scheduled for Feb. 13–14.