US figure skaters file appeal to get Olympic medals in Beijing

The US figure skaters whose Olympic silver medals are being withheld have filed an appeal to have them awarded before the end of the Beijing Games, with a decision expected before the closing ceremony.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport confirmed to The Associated Press that it was hearing the case Saturday evening in Beijing and expected a rapid ruling.

In a letter sent to IOC president Thomas Bach, a copy of which was obtained by AP, attorneys for the skaters said they sought a decision before Sunday’s closing ceremony.

Kamila Valieva led the Russian team to a victory in last week’s team event, and the US finished second. Soon after, a positive doping test for the 15-year-old skater was disclosed. CAS allowed her to continue skating at the women’s event, but the International Olympic Committee said it would not award medals in any events in which she finished among the top three.

She finished fourth in the women’s event — crying as she left the ice, then criticized by her coach after a mistake-filled long program.

This case involves the team event held the previous week. The Russians won the event by a large margin. Japan was third and Canada finished fourth. Neither of those countries were involved in the appeal, which named the IOC as the respondent.

The US team of Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier finished sixth in the pairs event. Afterward, Frazier said “they should have a ceremony for the clean athletes that delivered. They deserve that.”

Frazier and Knierim are among the nine US skaters who would receive medals, though neither were directly involved in the appeal as they prepared for Saturday night’s competition.

The letter sent on behalf of the American runners-up says the IOC’s “own rules mandate that a victory ceremony ‘to present medals to the athletes shall follow the conclusion of each sports event.’”

In a meeting earlier this week with the skaters, Bach offered them Olympic torches as something of a holdover memento while the doping case, which could take months, or even years, plays out.

In their letter to Bach, the attorneys said they hoped the IOC would reconsider but that because of the urgency, they were filing the appeal.

US Figure Skating executive director Ramsey Baker sent the AP a statement standing in support of the skaters.

“Having a medal ceremony at an Olympic Games is not something that can be replicated anywhere else, and they should be celebrated in front of the world before leaving Beijing,” Baker said.