The US Figure Skating Team Claims Gold as Russian Skater Faces Doping Ban

In a stunning turn of events, the US Figure Skating team has been awarded the gold medal for their outstanding performance at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. This victory comes after Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva was hit with a four-year ban due to her involvement in a long-running doping controversy.

The controversy erupted when Valieva’s doping test revealed traces of trimetazidine, a banned substance known for its performance-enhancing properties. The ban is retroactive to December 25, 2021, when the sample was collected. It is worth noting that Valieva was just 15 years old at that time.

Following this revelation, no medals were initially awarded until the Court of Arbitration for Sport made the decision to disqualify all competitive results achieved by Valieva since her positive test. As a result, both her singles and team event results were annulled.

A Re-Ranking Shakes Up Medal Positions

With Valieva’s disqualification from the singles competition and subsequent re-ranking of teams in the team event, significant changes have occurred on the podium. The Russian Olympic Committee (ROC), previously leading in first place, has now dropped down to third.

Taking advantage of this reshuffling are the United States and Japan who have moved up to claim first and second place respectively in an unexpected twist. However, Canada finds itself left “extremely disappointed” as they remain in fourth place despite the disqualification.

Canada Contemplates an Appeal

Skate Canada has expressed strong disagreement with the decision made by the International Skating Union (ISU) to keep their team in fourth place. They have stated their intention to explore all options available to appeal this ruling.

A contentious point raised by Skate Canada is that the ISU did not apply Rule 353, which states that competitors who initially placed lower than a disqualified athlete should move up accordingly in their placement. This omission has only fueled Canada’s disappointment and determination for justice.

Celebrations for Team USA

In light of Valieva’s ban and subsequent disqualification, the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) confirmed through CEO Sarah Hirschland that their Figure Skating team would be awarded the gold medal in the team competition. This news was met with joyous celebrations as athletes such as Evan Bates, Karen Chen, Nathan Chen, Madison Chock, Zachary Donohue, Brandon Frazier, Madison Hubbell, Alexa Knierim,and Vincent Zhou basked in their hard-earned triumph.

The Global Response: Anti-Doping Bodies Support Decision

The monumental decision made by the ISU has been met with widespread approval from anti-doping bodies worldwide. The International Olympic Committee (IOC), responsible for awarding medals based on ISU rankings, has welcomed this resolution enthusiastically.

Medal Ceremony Yet to Be Announced

No date or location has been set for the official medal ceremony honoring these extraordinary athletes. However,the IOC reassures fans around globe that a dignified Olympic medal ceremony will be organized in the near future, first for the US, followed by Japan and Canada.

For further information and comments on this matter, CNN Sport has reached out to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Japanese Olympic Committee, and the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC).