WASHINGTON – United States’ figure skaters, who have been awarded gold after Kamila Valieva was disqualified from the 2022 Winter Olympics, said on Jan 30 they want a ceremony at the Paris Olympics.

Reigning ice dance world champions Evan Bates and Madison Chock were among nine Americans who became 2022 Beijing Olympic team figure skating champions after Valieva, part of the winning Russian team, received a four-year doping ban from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Jan 29.

Medals have yet to be awarded and Chock and her teammates want to receive the medals in an Olympic atmosphere as soon as possible.

“We’ve thought about it,” she said. “We would like to have a true Olympic medal ceremony. For us, that would be a ceremony at the Paris Olympics this summer... surrounded by the Olympic spirit.

“That would be the dream scenario.”

Following CAS’ decision, Valieva being dropped from Russia’s team scoring lifted the US squad into the gold medal spot in a re-ranking announced on Jan 29 by the International Skating Union (ISU).

Japan moved into silver with Russia third.

Appeals could be pending but Sarah Hirshland, chief executive officer of the US Olympic & Paralympic Committee, said she was instructed she could award American skaters the gold medals.

“I’ve been given clear direction we should proceed with giving medals to the US team and that’s what we’re going to do,” she said. “There’s no scenario in which Team USA is not the gold medal winner and we’re eager to get these medals awarded. Everybody has a sense of urgency.”

Chock added that when the controversy first unfolded two years ago, she never expected it would take this long to resolve.

“There was a small underlying feeling of disappointment and sadness,” she said. “I didn’t realise it had been weighing on us the whole time until we got the resolution.

“It’s like a weight has been lifted. It’s like we’re celebrating our Olympic experience all over again. It puts a feeling of closure to this whole movement and the Beijing Olympics.”

And at age 31, Chock can finally call herself an Olympic champion.

“Amazing, quite frankly,” she said. “A feeling I’ve always dreamt of, one I almost can’t believe is finally here. It has been a very happy 24 hours.”

Bates added that the past day had been “surreal” and unbelievable” after the long delay.

“It was a long and arduous wait,” he said. “I hope this team will be remembered as much for how we’ve handled this off the ice as much as for the performances we put on the ice.” AFP