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Five-time Team USA Olympian Katie Uhlaender was on her way to making her sixth Winter Games.But then a decision by Team Canada took it all away.
With a shot at qualifying during the North American Skeleton Cup in Lake Placid, New York, earlier this month, Canada withdrew four of its athletes from competition. The withdrawal shrunk the total amount of points the competition could award, making it impossible for Uhlaender to earn enough for Olympic qualification.
Four Canadian women’s skeleton athletes where withdrawn just before competition. Under International Bobsled and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) rules, only 75% of points were issued, mathematically eliminating Uhlaender from Milan-Cortina before the first heat even began.
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Katie Uhlaender of the U.S. reacts after the women’s skeleton heat two run during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at the Olympic Sliding centre in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Feb. 16, 2018. (Mark Ralston/AFP via Getty Images)
Uhlaender has lobbied the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) to submit a letter to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), asking for an additional Olympic spot for her. Fox News Digital has obtained a copy of the letter.
“Thes actions circumvented the Olympic qualification principles, undermined fair competition, and ultimately deprived Ms. Uhlaender of the opportunity to compete in the XXV Milan-Cortina Winter Games,” the letter, signed by USOPC Chief of Sport & Athlete Services Rocky Harris, said.
“It is undeniable that Ms. Uhlaender deserves to go to the Olympic Games.”
Uhlaender previously submitted an appeal to the IBS, and says she had to pay a $5,000 fee to do it.
IBSF’s Interim Integrity Unit investigated allegations of competition manipulation. It acknowledged the withdrawals raised concern but concluded the governing rules allow teams to withdraw athletes at any time. As the rulebook contains no penalty or safeguard for late withdrawals that alter points distribution, the IIU dismissed the complaint.
but Uhlaender didn’t back down, vowing to challenge the decision further and even rallied international support behind her cause.
Belgium, South Korea, the Virgin Islands, Malta, Israel and Denmark’s teams have all put their support behind Uhlaender’s efforts, sending letters of support to the USOPC to try and have the event further investigated.
“My friends in Denmark and I, we haven’t talked about
Okay, here’s an analysis and response based on the provided text, adhering to the strict guidelines. I will focus on factual verification and providing context, without rewriting or mirroring the original source.
PHASE 1: ADVERSARIAL RESEARCH, FRESHNESS & BREAKING-NEWS CHECK
The article discusses allegations of Russian state-sponsored doping in the sport of skeleton, specifically referencing Katie Uhlaender’s case and calls for sanctions against the Russian Bobsleigh, Sledge & Skeleton Federation (RBSF, formerly BCS).
* Factual Claims Verification: The article states Katie Uhlaender competed in the 2022 Beijing Olympics. This is verifiable through Olympics.com.The article also mentions the Team USA Beijing 2022 Olympic shoot took place in Irvine, California on September 12, 2021. This is supported by Getty Images,as cited in the original article.
* Contradictory/Correcting Information: The situation surrounding Russian doping in the Olympics is complex and has been subject to numerous investigations and rulings. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has imposed sanctions on Russia, but the extent and enforcement of those sanctions have been continually debated. The International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) has also issued rulings. Recent developments (as of January 24, 2026) are crucial.
* breaking News Check (as of January 24, 2026 23:57:48): A search reveals that the IBSF reinstated the Russian Bobsleigh Federation in December 2023, subject to strict conditions. This decision was highly controversial and met with criticism from athletes like uhlaender. Further, in February 2024,
