Zhangjiakou, China (Associated Press) – Lawyers for the US figure skating team have notified the International Olympic Committee of their appeal to receive their silver medal before the end of the Winter Olympics in Beijing, according to the Associated Press.
The medal ceremony was suspended after the doping positive of Kamila Valeeva, a member of the Russian Olympic Committee team who suspended the gold medal.
In a letter sent to IOC President Thomas Bach on Saturday, obtained by the Associated Press, lawyers said they would ask the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) for a ruling before the awards ceremony.
Valeeva, 15, led the Russian national team to the top of the podium in the competition last week, a day before her positive test was revealed on December 25. TAS allowed her to compete in the women’s singles event, where she finished fourth on Thursday, but the International Olympic Committee announced that it would not award medals in events where she finished as the teen on the podium.
The Russians took gold by a large margin. Japan completed the podium while Canada finished fourth.
The Americans’ letter quoted the International Olympic Committee as saying that “its own rules are to hold a winning ceremony” to award medals to athletes after the conclusion of each sporting event.
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