Canada loses Beijing Olympics figure skating medals appeal. Russians also won't get medals in Paris
PARIS (AP) — Canadian figure skaters will not join the United States and Japan on the podium at the Paris Olympics next week when team event medals finally are awarded from the 2022 Beijing Winter Games marred by a Russian doping case.
Nor will there be Russian skaters on the bronze-medal step on Wednesday, despite a new ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport that was a defeat for Canada.
CAS said Friday its judges dismissed the Canadian appeal to be upgraded from fourth place to third in the Beijing Olympics standings that had to be amended by the International Skating Union because of doping by Russian star Kamila Valieva.
No medals were awarded 2 1/2 years ago in Beijing because Valieva’s positive test for a banned heart medication emerged shortly after the then-15-year-old helped her team win the competition.
The U.S. skaters were upgraded to Olympic champions and Japan to silver medalist by a CAS ruling in January that disqualified Valieva’s scores and banned her for four years.
The medal ceremony plan remained on hold until this week because of Russian appeals to a separate CAS judging panel about being dropped to third place. Those appeals were decided on Monday.
That let the IOC confirm a ceremony for American and Japanese skaters to get their medals at Champions Park, next to the Eiffel Tower, on Aug. 7 at 5 p.m.
After CAS published its verdict, the IOC confirmed Friday it will award only gold and silver medals in Paris.
“There are no athletes or teams representing Russia (in Paris) as the Russian Olympic Committee is currently suspended,” the IOC said in a statement. “For this and for logistical reasons there cannot be a medal ceremony, here in Paris, for the Russian Olympic Committee team that got the bronze medal.”
The only 15 Russian athletes at the Paris Olympics are competing as neutral individuals after being vetted over several months for possible support for the military invasion of Ukraine.
In the figure skating team event at the Beijing Olympics, fourth-place Canada finished just one point behind Russia in the overall standings decided by Valieva's disqualification.
ISU rules meant it removed Valieva's scores in the two events she won but did not subsequently add to other teams' points in those events.
Canada's skating federation said Friday its team's “dedication, resilience, and sportsmanship throughout this entire process exemplify the spirit of Canadian figure skating.”
“We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the gold and silver medalists, the United States and Japan,” the Canadian federation said. “Their exceptional performances are truly commendable, and we celebrate their achievements alongside the global skating community."
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AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games
