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The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) made a decision on Monday in the case of the American skeleton athlete Katie Uhlaender and her attempt to get a place at the Olympics in Cortina in Milan.
The CAS Ad hoc Division ruled that it had no jurisdiction to consider Uhlaender’s case against Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton (BCS) coach Joe Cecchini and the International Bobsled and Skeleton Federation over the results of the IBSF North American Cup Race and Skeleton qualification for a spot at the Winter Olympics.
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Katie Uhlaender of the United States competes during the Women’s Skeleton Race Heat Three on Day 2 of the 2025 IBSF World Championships at Mt. Van Hoevenberg on March 7, 2025 in Lake Placid, New York. (Al Bello/Getty Images)
Uhlaender sought qualification after she missed the chance to qualify when Team Canada pulled athletes from the North American Cup race in early January, reducing the number of points the event could award. The points reduction made it impossible for Uhlaender to earn enough to qualify.
An investigation by the IBSF found that Team Canada deliberately manipulated the points at the competition in Lake Placid, New York. However, the IBSF also did not audit any of the results or deliver any sanctions as a result. The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) sent a letter to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) requesting that Uhlaender be awarded a spot. Fifteen other countries have joined this petition.
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Katie Uhlaender of the United States reacts after her final run during the Women’s Skeleton on day eight of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics 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 from both sides.
Uhlaender claimed that Canada’s decision to withdraw the athletes from the race was against the Olympic code and requested that she be given full points for the race. The defendants argued that even if Uhlaender got the points, that didn’t necessarily mean she would qualify for Team USA and that the US might have to pull a racer already in Italy.
“In its award, the CAS panel noted that the CAS Ad hoc Division for 2026 (Olympic Winter Games) has been established to resolve disputes only to the extent that they arise during OWG 2026 or during a period of 10 days prior to the opening ceremony (on February 6, 2026). Consequently, the 26th shall be the earliest to fall within its jurisdiction,” the ruling read.
“Given the chronology of events between Ms. Uhlaender and the respondents, the CAS panel concluded that the latest date on which the dispute arose was January 23, 2026, on which date the IBSF Appeals Tribunal issued its decision. As a result, the application fell outside the jurisdiction of the CAS Ad hoc Division Milano Cortina.”
Uhlaender responded to the verdict in a statement to Pakinomist Digital.
Katie Uhlaender of the United States reacts after the women’s skeleton heat 2 race during the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic Winter Games at the Olympic Sliding Center in Pyeongchang, South Korea, on February 16, 2018. (Mark Ralston/AFP via Getty Images)
“I’m disappointed that nothing is being done again. I’m currently looking into the options. But I’m fighting for the right thing as this action hurt an entire field of athletes,” she said.
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The Winter Olympics officially begin on February 6.
