An International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) investigation has found that Team Canada intentionally altered the final result of the North American Cup (NAC) in Lake Placid, N.Y., earlier this month after it withdrew its athletes, thereby denying American Olympian Katie Uhlaender a likelihood to qualify for this yr’s Winter Olympics in Italy.
The U.S. skeleton athlete hoped to be the primary woman to compete within the Winter Games six times for the U.S., but fell just wanting qualifying for the Olympic team.
Though Uhlaender won in Lake Placid, she received 25 per cent fewer rating points than she would have in a full field, which consists of 21 or more sliders. That time difference left her behind the U.S.’ Mystique Ro in the ultimate standings.
The NAC series is a tier below World Cup level and is usually reserved for developmental athletes. Uhlaender competed in seven races this season on the NAC and Asian Cup circuits — one other lower-tier series — in an effort to gather enough points to make the Olympic team after failing to make this season’s U.S. World Cup roster. She appealed the choice by international officials.
She also asked the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for a wild-card berth into the Olympic women’s skeleton field, which currently has a maximum of 25 sliders, including two from the U.S.
Read IBSF tribunal final order
“The appeals tribunal is satisfied that the motion of the Canadians was intentional and directed to reducing the points available to athletes who slid at the ultimate Lake Placid NAC,” the ruling found.
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The criticism was ultimately dismissed, nevertheless, on the grounds that “the Olympic Movement Code doesn’t set out standards or means by which event records might be modified aside from through sanctions.”
It’s not clear what those sanctions could be, or in the event that they might be implemented.
Uhlaendar responded to the ruling by the IBSF in an announcement to Fox News.
“Today’s decision by the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) Appeals Tribunal reinforces what I, and lots of other athletes, have known all along,” she said. “The actions of Canadian coach Joe Cecchini and Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton were intentional and deliberately geared toward reducing the points available. This was blatant competition manipulation, yet there have been no consequences for the coach involved.”
The sporting body clarified in a news release earlier this month that current rules allow federations to withdraw athletes at any time, but reminded coaches to operate “inside the spirit” of the principles.
“All parties concerned must also act inside the spirit of the Code, whose aim is to advertise fair play and ethical conduct in any respect times,” the statement said.
“The IBSF will task its Sport Committee to review this incident that occurred on the NAC in Lake Placid in the course of the Sport Committee meeting in spring and possibly suggest adjustments to the Rules,” it added.
Canadian coaches, athletes and sports officials have denied any wrongdoing.
Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton (BCS) told the Recent York Times that the choice to withdraw athletes was made “after careful evaluation of this system’s needs and in consultation with the IBSF.”
“Following a collective assessment by the coaching and performance team, it was determined that continuing to race these athletes was not of their best interests, nor in one of the best interests of this system,” the organization said.
BCS also said the choice was made after “careful consideration of athlete health, safety, and long-term development.”
The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee chief of sport and athlete services, Rocky Harris, said the IOC deferred to the IBSF’s investigation, finding that no rules were broken.
Global News has reached out to BCS for further comment. As of this writing, there was no response.
— With files from Global News’ Katie Scott
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