Washington: Late on Monday, the US Olympic figure skating team was informed that they will win gold medals at the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing due to Russian skater Kamila Valieva’s disqualification for doping.
After Valieva’s positive test from six weeks prior to the competition was made public, the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee was informed that the IOC would give the United States the gold in the team competition. This news caused chaos.
The International Skating Union, the federation in charge of overseeing the sport at the Olympics, “is now in position to award the medals in accordance with the ranking, which has to be established by the Associated Press,” according to a copy of an email the IOC sent to the USOPC.
The CEO Sarah Hirshland of the USOPC stated that she was informed that the Americans had been named the victors.
“It is with deep sympathy that the athletes have to wait two years to receive the final results of their competition,” the IOC said. To arrange a respectable Olympic medal ceremony, the IOC will get in touch with the relevant national Olympic committees.
The impact of Valieva’s disqualification on the silver and bronze medals is still unknown. Japan will probably move up to second place after finishing third. Even after removing Valieva’s points from the two events she skated in during the team event, Russia might still finish third and ahead of Canada, depending on how a scoring rule is applied.
Evan Bates, Karen Chen, Nathan Chen, Madison Chock, Zachary Donohue, Brandon Frazier, Madison Hubbell, Alexa Knierim, and Vincent Zhou are the Americans who took home the gold medals.
The past two years have been arduous for all those concerned. The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum honored the skaters with empty boxes that were meant to hold medals that were not given out in Beijing as a way to commemorate the 500 days that had passed since the Olympics.
After winning their fifth U.S. titles over the weekend, Chock and Bates were questioned over the impending decision.
“We might never know why it has taken this long, and I think two years is too long to make this decision,” Bates remarked. “All we’re waiting for is some closure after a protracted period of waiting.”
The location of the medal ceremony was not immediately announced. The USOPC announced that it was beginning the process of determining when and where to present their skaters with the gold medal. The world championships for skating are held in Montreal in March.
Valieva will come away with nothing. The Russian was prohibited for four years starting on December 25, 2021, the date of the positive test, according to the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s ruling earlier in the day. After that date, Valieva’s results are nullified by the suspension, which expires around two months before Italy hosts the next Winter Games.
The decision was denounced by Russian authorities. Naturally, we disagree with this. It’s politicized, in my opinion, of course,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated.
