Madeline Schizas, of Canada, competes in the women's team free skate program during the figure skating competition at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Monday, Feb. 7, 2022, in Beijing.Jeff Roberson/The Associated Press
Canadian figure skaters have lost their appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport and will not be on the podium in Paris next week when medals are awarded for the Beijing Winter Olympics team event – a ceremony that has been delayed for more than two years after a Russian doping scandal.
In response, the Canadian Olympic Committee released a statement disagreeing with the ruling: “We believe that under the International Skating Union’s rules, the points should have been reallocated following the doping sanction against Russian skater Kamila Valieva, and it is unfortunate that the CAS did not agree.”
The CAS has not released the full reasoning for its decision, but in a news release posted on its website, the sport judicial body said the rules do not allow for points to be redistributed, even after an athlete has been disqualified. In a statement on its website, Skate Canada said it respects the court’s decision but remains “disappointed” with the ruling.
At the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, Russia decisively won the team figure skating event thanks to two first-place performances by Ms. Valieva. The United States took silver, Japan won the bronze medal, and Canada finished just off the podium, in fourth.
But shortly after the event, it was revealed that Ms. Valieva was supposed to have been barred from competing at the Games because the then-15-year-old had tested positive for trimetazidine a little more than a month earlier, during a screening at the Russian Figure Skating Championships. Trimetazidine is normally prescribed to treat angina but is banned in sports because it can increase endurance.
The move set off two years of court cases and appeals. Earlier this year, the CAS concluded that Ms. Valieva had violated its doping policy, which prompted the International Skating Union, the governing body, to adjust the podium rankings.
The United States was moved to gold, and Japan was moved to silver. But Canada was not moved to the bronze position. Instead, Team Russia was left on the podium in third place.
For reasons that remain unclear, the ISU adjusted the standings but not the points allocation.
Canada’s Madeline Schizas had finished third against Valieva in both the short and free programs. Had her two scores of eight points been adjusted to reflect a second-place finish – nine points – Canada would have finished the competition ahead of the Russians.
This was the basis for Skate Canada’s appeal. Specifically, the appeal focused on ISU Rule 353, which states that “competitors having finished the competition and who initially placed lower than the disqualified competitor will move up accordingly in their placement.”
But the CAS has taken the position that while 353 can mean adjusting placements, it does not inherently mean points will be adjusted.
“Following the hearing that took place on 22 July, 2024, the Panel of CAS arbitrators in charge of the matter deliberated and concluded that the results of the Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva in the Olympic Figure Skating Team Event were correctly disqualified, without any possibility in the ISU Rules to re-allocate points in favour of Team Canada, following the retroactive disqualification of Kamila Valieva,” the CAS said a news release.
Earlier this week, the IOC announced that the U.S. and Japanese skaters will be awarded their gold and silver medals at a ceremony at Champions Park in Paris on Aug. 7. It is not clear if Russia will be given bronze at the ceremony.
In its statement, Skate Canada said, “While we are disappointed that the ruling does not award Canada the bronze medal, we stand by the efforts and performances of our athletes.”
It went on to extend “heartfelt congratulations” to the United States and Japan.
“Their exceptional performances are truly commendable, and we celebrate their achievements alongside the global skating community.”
Follow the latest news and highlights from the Paris Olympic Games