Team USA to Finally Receive 2022 Olympic Gold Medals After Russian Skater Disqualified for Doping
Russian skater Kamila Valieva was disqualified from the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing on Monday and banned from competing for four years
Team USA will finally be receiving their 2022 Olympic figure skating gold medals.
The news comes after Russian skater Kamila Valieva was disqualified from the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing for doping on Monday. The 17-year-old has also been banned from competing for four years, according to a media release from the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Valieva tested positive for the the banned heart medication trimetazidine six weeks before the competition on Dec. 25, 2021 during the Russian National Championships. However, her positive result was only reported during the Games, which took place in Feb. 2022.
Valieva's positive result was revealed on Feb. 7, 2022, just hours after her performance. Following the news, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided against having a medals ceremony, according to ABC News.
In a news release shared Tuesday, the International Skating Union (ISU) confirmed that following Valieva’s disqualification, which includes her fourth place women’s single event result, a reranking of the team event result at the 2022 Winter Games was done.
Related: U.S. Figure Skating 'Frustrated' by Lack of Final Decision in Team Event, Calls for Fair Ruling
The new ranking saw the USA moved up to first place, with Japan in second and the Russian Olympic Committee now in third.
According to the Associated Press, the IOC said it had “great sympathy with the athletes who have had to wait for two years to get the final results of their competition. The IOC will contact the respective (national Olympic committees) in order to organize a dignified Olympic medal ceremony."
U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee CEO Sarah Hirshland told USA Today she was "beyond thrilled" at the news.
“Today is a day we have been eagerly awaiting for two years, as it is a significant win not only for Team USA athletes but also for athletes worldwide who practice fair play and advocate for clean sport,” Hirshland said in a statement Monday.
Related: Russia's Kamila Valieva Cleared to Figure Skate at Beijing Games amid Doping Controversy
“The incredible athletes of Team USA, including Evan Bates, Karen Chen, Nathan Chen, Madison Chock, Zachary Donohue, Brandon Frazier, Madison Hubbell, Alexa Knierim, Vincent Zhou, have displayed remarkable fortitude,” she added. “Their outstanding performances in Beijing will forever symbolize their commitment to clean competition.”
Hirshland went on to say that the committee take “immense pride in the United States Figure Skating Team and their historic performance.”
“Not only did they achieve their best-ever finish, score the highest number of points ever, and achieve firsts in three different disciplines, but they also embody the spirit and principles of the Olympic Movement,” she stated. “We now anticipate the day when we can wholeheartedly celebrate these athletes, along with their peers from around the world.”
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“Their moment is approaching, and when it arrives, it will serve as a testament to the justice and recognition they truly deserve,” Hirshland concluded.
According to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, Valieva's four-year ban will date back to the date of the positive test: Dec. 25, 2021. Per ABC News, Valieva's sanction will end about two months before the next Winter Games in Italy in 2026.
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