Just eight days before the Winter Olympics, Katie Uhlaender is still fighting for a place on the sport’s biggest stage. The American skeleton racer was forced into an appeal for a wildcard entry after losing her chance to mathematically qualify. But just as she was fighting to keep her Olympic dream alive, the fight has taken a new turn.

Recently, the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation concluded the investigation into the Lake Placid North American Cup, an Olympic qualifying skeleton race. They found that Team Canada deliberately withdrew its athletes to slash the available points.

The federation said the move “was intentional and directed to reducing the points available to athletes who slid at the final Lake Placid NAC.”

The investigation focused on Canadian coach Joe Cecchini, who pulled four female athletes shortly before the competition. Ultimately, it reduced the field from 23 to 19 racers. In skeleton, the number of ranking points an athlete can earn depends on how many competitors take part.

Fewer athletes mean fewer points. Because of the withdrawals, even though Katie Uhlaender won her races, she didn’t earn enough points to qualify for the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics.

At that time, Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton cited the ruling was made “after careful evaluation of the program’s needs and in consultation with the IBSF” and with “careful consideration of athlete health, safety and long-term development.”

But some Canadian athletes gave a different account. Madeline Parra told The Canadian Press that coaches said the move was also about points strategy:  “They had come over and explained to us that it would be in the best interest for the way points had worked for Jane, so that we as a team can qualify two spots to the Olympics.”

The IBSF also discovered in the investigation that Canada had made a deliberate move to pull out athletes in order to tamper with the points in question.

“Although Canada subsequently attributed its decision to order four athletes not to slide in Official Training to concerns about the athletes involved, substantial evidence supports Ms. Uhlaender’s contention that the move was a deliberate effort by Canada to reduce the points available at the final Lake Placid NAC so as to protect its own Olympic quotas,” the announcement said.

Despite this finding, the IBSF will not penalize Canada or change the results, leaving Katie Uhlaender still fighting for a wildcard entry and her chance at a sixth Olympic Games. Yet, the five-time Olympian refuses to give up.

Katie Uhlaender set to challenge IOC decision after wildcard denial

Katie Uhlaender has a remarkable record in the FIBT World Championships; she has won 6 medals in the championship (two golds, one silver and three bronze). Though her last shot at the Olympics is now threatened, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee has been on her side.

Recently, the USOPC petitioned the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to accept Uhlaender into a so-called “wild card” position, citing her as one of the most talented athletes in the world and highlighting that her entry would add excitement to the sport. The IOC, in turn, declined the request.

Rocky Harris, USOPC’s chief of sport and athlete services revaled, “We did send a letter to the IOC, and we got a response this morning that they are supporting the international federation’s decision on the matter.”

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Instead, the Americans are sending Kelly Curtis and Mystique Ro to the Olympics in women’s skeleton, both formally nominated by the USOPC on Monday.

Having denied her wildcard spot, Katie Uhlaender is now contemplating her next steps, such as possibly submitting a case with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to contest the decision.

“I will continue to fight for what is right and will pursue this further with my legal counsel to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. And with the support of my community,” she said after the IBSF investigation.

Katie Uhlaender also made a public appeal to U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, the head of the U.S. delegation to Milano-Cortina, to refer to the case to the IOC leadership in an attempt to secure fairness and reconsideration. For now, her Olympic hopes hang in the balance as the world waits to see what happens next.