2022 Olympics: U.S. figure skating team won't receive medals until doping investigation concludes
The Court of Arbitration for Sport announced Sunday in Beijing that the U.S. Olympic figure skating team will not receive their medals until a doping investigation into 15-year-old Russian skater Kamila Valieva has concluded, ESPN reports.
The World Anti-Doping Agency is investigating Valieva after a Dec. 25 blood test came back positive for banned substance. A CAS panel ruled Monday that Valieva could continue competing. The ruling also stipulated, however, that until the investigation into Valieva reached its conclusion, no medals would be awarded for the team figure skating event, in which she led the Russian Olympic Committee team to victory, or for any other events in which she finished in the top three.
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According to The Associated Press, the panel, which included "arbitrators from Denmark, France, and China," rejected the Americans' appeal after meeting "for two and a half hours Saturday evening."
Per AP, it may take months or even years for the investigation into Valieva to "winds its way through hearings and appeals." Only then will the Americans receive their medals — silver if Valieva is exonerated, and gold if the Russian team is disqualified.
Valieva was initially favored to win gold in individual women's skating on Thursday, but instead she bungled her performance and finished fourth. Valieva cried after her skate as coach Eteri Tutberidze demanded, "Why did you let it go? … Why did you stop fighting completely?"
