Investigation clears Canada, after skeleton withdrawals spark Olympic dispute with rivals
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American Katie Uhlaender's bid for a sixth Olympics was ended last week, when Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton pulled four women’s sliders from the North American Cup, reducing ranking points for all competitors.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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- Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton withdrew four athletes from the Lake Placid North American Cup.
- This reduced ranking points, impacting American Katie Uhlaender's Olympic qualification bid.
- The IBSF cleared Canada of wrongdoing, stating withdrawals were within current rules.
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OTTAWA - Canada’s skeleton team have been cleared of wrongdoing after an investigation into the withdrawal of four athletes from last week’s North American Cup in Lake Placid, the International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation (IBSF) said on Jan 15.
The probe was launched after Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton pulled four women’s sliders from the Lake Placid event, reducing ranking points for all competitors and ending American Katie Uhlaender’s bid for a sixth Olympics despite winning the race.
Rival federations alleged that the move was aimed at protecting Canada’s Olympic quota for next month’s Milano Cortina Games in Italy.
“The current IBSF rules allow national federations to withdraw athletes from competition at any time,” the federation said in a statement.
“The IIU (Interim Integrity Unity) dismissed the complaints as the current IBSF rules and regulations did not give grounds for a breach of the international rules, the code of conduct, and respectively the code of ethics.” REUTERS
Katie Uhlaender of the US competing in the women's skeleton at the Bobsleigh and Skeleton IBSF World Championships, in New York, on March 7, 2025.
PHOTO: REUTERS
