Beijing 2022: CAS Dismisses Appeals Challenging ISU Re-ranking

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has dismissed appeals challenging the re-ranking of the figure skating teams for their performance in the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022.[1]

This re-ranking was announced by the International Skating Union (ISU) shortly after CAS confirmed that Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva had committed an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) and was consequently handed a four-year ban. This ban commenced w.e.f. December 25, 2021. All her results from that date were disqualified. Consequently, this affected the first rank secured by Valieva and her Russian teammates in the figure skating team event at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing.

As ISU deducted 20 points earned by Valieva, Team ROC dropped from first to third place, with Team USA and Team Japan moving up to assume the top two positions. The re-ranking was challenged by the ROC, ROC figure skaters, the Figure Skating Federation of Russia, as well as the Canadian figure skaters, Skate Canada, and the Canadian Olympic Committee via four appeals filed before CAS.

While Canada sought the Bronze medal, the ROC aimed to reclaim the top spot. However, CAS has dismissed the appeals, upholding the re-ranking as announced by ISU.

The figure skating team event medal ceremony was delayed due to the abovementioned circumstances. Hence, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will award the gold and silver medals during a special ceremony scheduled to take place at Champions Park in Paris on August 7.[2] The course of action for the third position will be determined soon.

[1] Click here and here to access the press releases.

[2] https://www.isu.org/isu-news/news/145-news/15035-isu-statement-olympic-winter-games-beijing-2022-figure-skating-team-event-final-ranking-confirmed?templateParam=15