Valieva Banned for Four Years, Effective December 25, 2021

[Sylvia]

I think it will be at the next Winter Olympics. And that in many ways, this would be better as many of their friends and family will be there to see them compete.

Not that many, most likely.

Retired/currently not expected to compete in 2026 from the 2022 USA team: Nathan Chen, Vincent Zhou, Karen Chen, Alexa Knierim/Brandon Frazier, Madison Hubbell/Zachary Donohue (both have definitely retired)
Recently retired from Team Japan: Shoma Uno, Misato Komatsubara/Tim Koleto

Lawrence Yee (Senior Editor at PEOPLE) posted this 30-second clip of Nathan speaking on behalf on Team USA at the Gold House Gala in Los Angeles on May 11: https://twitter.com/lawryee/status/1789490317416403317

https://twitter.com/x/status/1789490317416403317

 

[MacMadame]

So none of those people have friends in the skating world who will be at the Olympics? I'm pretty sure IAM will be there and Hubbell/Donahue coach for them so may be there in that capacity.

At the Summer Olympics, there will be no figure skaters and no figure skating officials or coaches. Unlike a Winter Olympics.

 

[Karen-W]

Here's where I think I might actually side with @Jammers in giving the USA and JPN their medals this summer in Paris instead of waiting until all the appeals are resolved - what if, heaven forbid, the ISU prevails in the Canadian appeal and the medals stand as currently decided by the ISU with Russia getting bronze? If we operate under the assumption that Russia ain't gonna be back in international competition by then, do we really think the IOC is going to want to bring those banned athletes (Kondratiuk, Mishina/Galliamov, and Sinitsa/Katsalapov), all of whom have shown visible, ongoing support of Putin's war, to Milano-Cortina for the medal ceremony? No way. They'd rather toss those bronze medals in the mail and not have them anywhere near any official Olympic venues, ceremonies, etc.

So, that's the worst case scenario right there. I suppose, if there is no ceremony this summer in Paris and the ISU prevails in the Canadian appeal, then we're probably going to wind up with some crappy, lowkey ceremony at Boston Worlds, just to prevent and preclude Russian athletes from being welcomed in any way, shape or form to Milano-Cortina.

Best case scenario is Canada wins the appeal and we get a great medal ceremony in Milano-Cortina for all three teams.

 

[skatfan]

So none of those people have friends in the skating world who will be at the Olympics? I'm pretty sure IAM will be there and Hubbell/Donahue coach for them so may be there in that capacity.

At the Summer Olympics, there will be no figure skaters and no figure skating officials or coaches. Unlike a Winter Olympics.

The team itself declared that they wanted the medals presented in Paris. I think their preferences matter.

 

[kalamalka]

I think, after what the US and Japanese athletes have been through, there should be a ceremony in Paris - IDK where/when within the games would be appropriate - for the gold and silver to be formally awarded and acknowledged - and then (at least if Canada is eventually awarded bronze), there should be an additional podium event during the figure skating in 2026 (say right after the medal ceremony for the team event), at which the US and Japanese teams would be wearing their medals, Canada would receive the bronze, and they would have flags and the anthem in front of a figure skating audience. The IOC (and ISU) really OWE those teams, and they should be celebrated. (not imagining that this would actually happen, as IOC probably just wants to bury the whole thing, rather than giving the athletes their due, and having their own mis-steps in keeping athletes from getting their earned medals for over 2 years in the public eye during the Olympics).

 

[kwanfan1818]

Canada would receive the bronze, and they would have flags and the anthem in front of a figure skating audience.

I could see flags, but they don't play anthems for silver or bronze medalists.

 

[Vagabond]

I remind everyone that Valieva & Co. have filed an appeal and asked the appellate panel to reinstate Russia's gold medal in the Team Event. There cannot be medal ceremony until that appeal is resolved.

I am no expert here, but it is conceivable that the panel will dismiss the Russian appeal while the Canadian appeal is still pending. If that happened early enough, the IOC could hold a medal ceremony for at least the top two teams at this summer's Olympics. But that is a big if.

 

[kalamalka]

I could see flags, but they don't play anthems for silver or bronze medalists.

Of course just the American anthem - I just meant all 3 teams having a full podium experience.

 

[skatfan]

I remind everyone that Valieva & Co. have filed an appeal and asked the appellate panel to reinstate Russia's gold medal in the Team Event. There cannot be medal ceremony until that appeal is resolved.

We haven't forgotten about that appeal. It doesn't mean that the team has withdrawn their preferences for the medal ceremony in Paris. It's pretty unlikely, unfortunately.

 

[kwanfan1818]

They can't award silver and gold and then award bronze later, since gold is disputed as well. So no two presentations, unless CAS separates out the decisions and rules on one first. The athletes' preferences are moot until the appeals decision is rendered.

 

[MacMadame]

The team itself declared that they wanted the medals presented in Paris. I think their preferences matter.

Of course, their preferences matter. But it looks like that is not going to happen. Preferences won't make the process go faster.

 

[coppertop1]

How does Russia think they can claim the gold without Kamila's 20 points?

 

[kwanfan1818]

That the CAS rules that the ISU was wrong to eliminate her points.

 

[skatfan]

Of course, their preferences matter. But it looks like that is not going to happen. Preferences won't make the process go faster.

You were the one who said it would be better for them in 2026 because their friends and family would be there. I simply noted that is not better in their opinion.