US figure skaters' request for public medal ceremony before closing ceremony denied
American figure skaters were offered Olympic torches as a placeholder gift
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) rejected a request by Team USA figure skaters to have their medals awarded now as the investigation into Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva’s failed drug test remains ongoing.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) determined it would not have an awards ceremony for any event in which Valieva finished in the top three following the revelation she failed a drug test in December.
Attorneys said in a letter to the IOC they would ask the CAS to make a ruling before Sunday’s closing ceremony.
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Kamila Valieva of the Russian Olympic Committee talks to coaches at a training session at the 2022 Winter Olympics Feb. 10, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
"The Ad Hoc Division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled earlier today on an application filed by the US figure skaters Evan Bates, Karen Chen, Nathan Chen, Madison Chock, Zachary Donohue, Brandon Frazier, Madison Hubbell, Alexa Knierim and Vincent Zhou against the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The USOPC was not a party to the CAS proceedings," the CAS said in a statement.
"The athletes were seeking a ruling from the CAS Ad Hoc Division that the IOC be ordered to present to them the silver medals earned in the Figure Skating Team Event in a public medal ceremony to be held prior to the close of the XXIV Winter Olympic Games Beijing 2022."
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Gold medalists Kamila Valieva, Anastasia Mishina, Aleksandr Galliamov, Victoria Sanitsina, Nikita Katsalapov and Mark Kondratiuk of Team Russia celebrate during the team event flower ceremony on day three of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at Capital Indoor Stadium Feb. 7, 2022, in Beijing, China. (Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)
The CAS said the panel deliberated and ultimately determined not to have an awards ceremony.
The matter involved a case from last week as the medal ceremony was called off. Team USA finished in second place while Japan and Canada finished third and fourth, respectively.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Earlier this week, Bach had offered the Americans Olympic torches as holdover gifts while the matter was being investigated.
"Having a medal ceremony at an Olympic Games is not something that can be replicated anywhere else, and they should be celebrated in front of the world before leaving Beijing," U.S. Figure Skating Executive Director Ramsey Baker said in a statement to The AP.
Silver medalists Karen Chen and Nathan Chen pose for a photo after the team event in the figure skating competition at the 2022 Winter Olympics Feb. 7, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The CAS said Valieva could still compete during the active investigation. She finished fourth in the free skate Thursday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.