Canada's Appeal Rejected: Russia Retains Figure Skating Bronze After Doping Scandal

Canada's attempt to claim a team figure skating bronze medal from the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics was denied by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Despite the disqualification of Russian athlete Kamila Valieva, the International Skating Union determined that Russia's total score remained higher than Canada's.

Canada's appeal to claim the team figure skating bronze medal from the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics was denied by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on Friday, leaving the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) in third place. Russian teenager Kamila Valieva, earlier found guilty of doping, had been banned for four years, disqualifying the ROC as winners of the team event.

Despite expectations that Canada, who finished fourth, would rise to bronze, the International Skating Union (ISU) found Russia's total score, even after Valieva's points were removed, was still above Canada's. The CAS panel deliberated on Skate Canada's appeal last month and upheld Valieva's disqualification without any scope in ISU rules to reallocate points to Canada.

While the United States and Japan have already been awarded gold and silver respectively, Canada remains without a medal. Skate Canada expressed disappointment but stood by their athletes' performances. Similarly, the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) believed the points should have been redistributed but accepted the decision. The IOC also announced it would not contest the ruling and scheduled a medal ceremony in Paris for the U.S. team to receive their gold medals.