OLYMPICS: CAS says 'no jurisdiction' to hear Uhlaender appeal over skeleton qualifying

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy – The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) announced on Monday that its ad-hoc panel does not have jurisdiction to hear an appeal by U.S. skeleton racer Katie Uhlaender, meaning she will not be added to the Winter Olympic roster.

Uhlaender had asked CAS to award her full ranking points from a race held last month. The request came after the late withdrawal of four Canadian athletes reduced the points available, effectively ending her chances of qualifying for her sixth Olympic Games.

However, CAS stated that its Olympic ad-hoc panel is only authorized to hear appeals related to events occurring within 10 days of the Games’ opening ceremony on February 6. The race on January 11 and the subsequent judgment by the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) on January 23, which cleared Canada of wrongdoing, fell outside this window.

The decision closes a highly emotional and controversial chapter involving athletes, coaches, and officials from both countries.

The controversy began when the late Canadian withdrawals from a development race in Lake Placid reduced the field size, lowering the number of ranking points available. This move ended Uhlaender’s hopes of qualifying for Cortina.

Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton (BCS) was cleared of wrongdoing by the IBSF Integrity Unit two weeks ago. The investigation concluded that Canada had no obligation to provide a reason for withdrawing athletes, though it reminded the Canadian coach and National Federation to act in the spirit of the IBSF Code of Conduct.

Uhlaender alleged that BCS “manipulated” the race by withdrawing athletes too late for replacements, affecting Olympic and World Cup qualification points for competitors from more than five nations. She claimed recordings of Canada’s head coach, Joe Cecchin, indicated the withdrawals were intended to secure qualification for another Canadian athlete.

Uhlaender appealed to CAS, requesting that she be awarded full points from the race and added to the U.S. team without replacing any selected athletes. She also sought a wild card from the International Olympic Committee, which was denied.

BCS defended its actions, citing “health, safety, and long-term development concerns,” and stated its decisions were “appropriate, transparent, and aligned with both athlete welfare and the integrity of the sport.” The federation acknowledged, however, that the withdrawals had an unintended impact on the size of the race field, affecting athletes from Denmark, Israel, and Malta.

In their response to Uhlaender’s CAS appeal, the IBSF and BCS noted that even if extra points were awarded, it would be up to U.S. officials to decide whether she should replace already-selected athletes. They also highlighted that the appeal fell outside the panel’s jurisdiction—a view CAS ultimately upheld.

This ruling comes just two days after CAS issued a similar decision on an appeal by the Irish Luge Federation, which had argued that its athlete should have been granted an Olympic berth that went instead to a Russian competing as an Individual Neutral Athlete.

-Reporting by Mitch Phillips; Editing by Christian Radnedge/Reuters