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≡ “EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES” ≡
“Had this race not been manipulated, I would be preparing to represent the United States of America and make history as the first woman to compete in six Olympic Winter Games for our country… Instead, I am now focused on legally challenging what I believe to be a fundamentally flawed investigation and decision by the IBSF in a final attempt to earn my place at what would be my sixth and last Olympic Games.”
That’s American women’s skeleton racer Katie Uhlaender, 41, on X, continuing her fight to be allowed to compete at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Cortina d’Ampezzo (ITA). She has been joined by the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, whose Chief of Sport and Athlete services, Rocky Harris, sent a formal request to the International Olympic Committee for Uhlaender to be added to the Olympic skeleton field.
Harris’ letter stated that adding Uhlaender is “warranted in this moment given the exceptional circumstances … that resulted in significant reputational harm to the sport across the world.
“Specifically, allegations that another national federation delayed withdrawing four of its women’s skeleton athletes from the competition until they could not be replaced with other competitors.”
Further, Uhlaender added on X that she is receiving support from athletes of other countries, stating, “We have the support of 9 nations and it is growing….” and she said she is ready to take her case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to compel her entry.
She has an interesting case:
● Uhlaender was not selected for the USA Bobsled & Skeleton team for the International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation’s World Cup circuit, which offers the highest point totals for Olympic qualification. Undaunted, she went to the lower-point races in the IBSF Asian Cup and North American Cup.
● In four Asian Cup races in South Korea in December, she finished 3-1-5-2 and piled up 414 points. She came back to the North American Cup circuit in Lake Placid, New York in January and won all three races, earning 120 points in each of the first two, but only 90 points in the third for a total of 330.
● The discounted, 90-point total was because only 19 racers contested the final race, on 11 January. The IBSF rules show that for 21 or more racers, points for North American Cup races earn 120-110-100 points for the top three, down to one point for 40th. For races with 15-20 competitors, points are reduced to 75%, or 90-83-75, down to 16 points for 20th. There is a further reduction for races with 11-15 sliders and for those with 6-10.
● Uhlaender ended up with 414 + 330 = 744 points, ranking 19th among all IBSF women’s racers for the Olympic qualifying period. That placed her third among U.S. racers, with Kelly Curtis at 16th at 798, then Mystique Ro at 17th with 762 points. They made the U.S. team.
So, if Uhlaender had the added 30 points if a full field had raced in the final Lake Placid event – which she won – she would have totaled 774 and been 17th overall and ahead of Ro and would have been named to the U.S. team.
Further, Uhlaender immediately called out the cause of her problem – Canadian team coach Joe Cecchini (ITA) – who withdrew four young athletes from the field prior to the draw for the final race. Said Uhlaender to DW.com:
“He did not have to do that. He did it because he could. And it wasn’t to protect his athletes; it was to manipulate the system. He waited until after everyone was registered and gave the illusion that the Canadians were going to be competing. He wanted to make sure that we could not get full points.”
The DW.com story also quoted an e-mail message sent by Cecchini to members of the Canadian team in Lake Placid, which “explains that the decision to withdraw athletes was made to ‘ensure that we have a complete and accurate understanding of the points landscape, qualification implications and confirmed start numbers,’ adding that participation would be determined in the ‘best interests of the national team.’”
Canada was trying to protect its no. 2 racer, Jane Channell, who ultimately ended up no. 25 in the rankings (624 points) and two Canadian quota places were granted. The final IBSF quotas show 25 racers for both the men’s and women’s fields.
The case was referred to the IBSF Interim Integrity Unit, which issued a rapid decision on 15 January (after the 11 January races) that the Canadians broke no rules, but also noted – with clear distaste – that the
“IBSF will task its Sport Committee to review this incident that occurred at the NAC in Lake Placid during the Sport Committee meeting in spring and possibly suggest adjustments to the Rules.”
Uhlaender ripped the IBSF Interim Integrity Unit decision, saying that the group did not even ask her about the communications she had with Cecchini on the issue.
The IOC issued no Saturday comment, but the Uhlaender is not about to stop lobbying, and a Court of Arbitration for Sport challenge seems likely.
¶
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