Katie Uhlaender's Last-Ditch Plea for Olympic Wildcard Spot

Katie Uhlaender, a U.S. skeleton racer, has requested a wildcard entry to the Winter Olympics following the withdrawal of Canadian athletes, which affected her qualification chances. Uhlaender alleges the move was manipulated and plans to seek intervention from the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Katie Uhlaender, a U.S. skeleton racer, has appealed to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for a wildcard entry into the Winter Olympics. This request follows the withdrawal of four Canadian athletes from a recent competition in Lake Placid, which significantly affected Uhlaender's chances of qualifying for her sixth Olympic Games.

The Canadian withdrawals reduced the size of the field, decreasing the number of ranking points available, thus ending Uhlaender's qualification bid for the upcoming Milano Cortina Games. The International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation (IBSF) cleared Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton (BCS) of any wrongdoing, though BCS cited safety concerns as the reason for the withdrawal, acknowledging the unintended impact.

Uhlaender, a double world champion, has accused BCS of manipulating the competition to affect qualification outcomes for multiple nations. She plans to seek further legal intervention from the Court of Arbitration for Sport to address the issue.

(With inputs from agencies.)