Olympics to Award Medals to Runner-Ups Following Kamila Valieva’s Ban”

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced on Tuesday that it will begin awarding medals to the runner-ups of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics figure skating competition, two years after a doping scandal involving Russian skater Kamila Valieva.

Valieva, who was 15 years old at the Games, tested positive for a banned substance and was stripped of her gold medals at individual and team events. She was also banned from international competition until December 2025 by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)¹².

The IOC said it would contact the national Olympic committees of the affected countries to arrange formal medal ceremonies for the athletes who were denied their rightful medals due to Valieva’s cheating¹².

The US figure skating team, which finished second behind Russia in the team event, will now receive the gold medal, while Japan will get the silver and Canada the bronze¹²³. In the individual event, Japan’s Rika Kihira will be upgraded to gold, while South Korea’s You Young and US’s Alysa Liu will get the silver and bronze medals, respectively.

The IOC, along with other anti-doping agencies, condemned the coaches and doctors who allowed Valieva to use performance-enhancing drugs, especially since she was a minor. The IOC said it would take measures to address the role of the athletes’ entourage in doping cases and protect the rights of clean athletes¹².

The US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) welcomed the IOC’s decision and praised the US figure skaters for their perseverance and integrity. The USOPC said it will celebrate the achievements of the US figure skating team and honor their gold medal performance.