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The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) handed down a judgment on Monday in the case of American skeleton athlete Katie Uhlaender and her bid for a place at the Milan Cortina Olympic Games.
The CAS ad hoc division ruled that it did not have jurisdiction to review Uhlaender’s case against Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton (BCS) coach Joe Cecchini and the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation regarding the results of the IBSF North American Cup and skeleton’s qualification for a place at the Winter Olympics.
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Katie Uhlaender of the United States competes in the third run of the women’s skeleton race on day two of the 2025 IBSF World Championships at Mt. Van Hoevenberg on March 7, 2025 in Lake Placid, New York. (Al Bello/Getty Images)
Uhlaender was looking to qualify after missing the opportunity to qualify when Team Canada withdrew its athletes from the North American Cup race in early January, reducing the number of points the event could award. The points reduction prevented Uhlaender from winning enough to qualify.
An investigation by the IBSF found that Team Canada intentionally manipulated points during the competition in Lake Placid, New York. However, the IBSF also failed to review the results or issue sanctions accordingly. The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) sent a letter to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) requesting that Uhlaender be given a spot. Fifteen other countries have joined this petition.
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Katie Uhlaender of the United States reacts after her final women’s skeleton race during day eight of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at the Olympic Sliding Center on February 17, 2018, in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea. (Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
CAS said its panel “carefully considered” the arguments put forward by both sides.
Uhlaender argued that Canada’s decision to remove the athletes from the race was a violation of the Olympic Code and requested that he be awarded full points for the race. The defendants argued that even if Uhlaender earned points, it did not necessarily mean she would qualify for the U.S. team and that the United States might have to remove a rider who is already in Italy.
“In its award, the CAS Panel noted that the CAS Ad Hoc Division for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games was established to resolve disputes only to the extent that they arise during the 2026 Olympic Winter Games or during a 10-day period preceding the Opening Ceremony (February 6, 2026). Accordingly, the dispute must have arisen no earlier than January 27, 2026 to fall within its jurisdiction,” the decision states.
“Taking into account the chronology of events between Ms. Uhlaender and the respondents, the CAS Panel concluded that the last date on which the dispute arose was January 23, 2026, the date on which the IBSF Appeal Tribunal rendered its decision. Therefore, the application did not fall within the jurisdiction of the ad hoc Division of the CAS Milano Cortina 2026.”
Uhlaender reacted to the decision in a statement to PK Press Club Digital.
Katie Uhlaender of the United States reacts after the second race of the women’s skeleton during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics at the Olympic Sliding Center in Pyeongchang, South Korea, February 16, 2018. (Mark Ralston/AFP via Getty Images)
“I’m disappointed that nothing is being done again. I’m currently exploring options. But I’m fighting for the right thing because this action hurt a whole group of athletes,” she said.
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The Winter Olympics officially begin on February 6.
