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4d ago

U.S. Skeleton Veteran Files CAS Appeal After IBSF Finds Canada Intentionally Cut Points

Katie Uhlaender seeks reinstated ranking points from the Lake Placid race after Canadian withdrawals reduced the field and left her short of Olympic qualification.

2022 Beijing Olympics - Skeleton - Women Heat 3 - National Sliding Centre, Beijing, China - February 12, 2022. Katie Uhlaender of the United States in action. REUTERS/Thomas Peter
Katie Uhlaender, of United States, slides during the women's skeleton run 3 at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Feb. 12, 2022.
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Overview

  • CAS confirmed Uhlaender’s filing, which asks arbitrators to rule on alleged violations of the Olympic Movement Code and IBSF Code of Conduct and to award her full points from the Jan. 11 North American Cup race.
  • The IBSF appeals tribunal found Canada’s withdrawals were a deliberate effort to reduce available points to protect quotas, but said results would not be changed under Olympic Movement Code limits and referred the issue to its Sport Committee for rule review.
  • The IOC declined a USOPC-backed request for a discretionary Olympic spot for Uhlaender and deferred to the federation, with the U.S. women’s skeleton berths going to Kelly Curtis and Mystique Ro.
  • Canada’s late withdrawals cut the field from 23 to 19, reducing points by about 25% and leaving Uhlaender 18 points shy of the final U.S. place despite winning the Lake Placid race.
  • BCS defends the move as athlete-welfare driven, and coach Joe Cecchini says it was within the rules, while critics — including Uhlaender — describe it as competition manipulation.