People pose for a picture in front of the Olympic rings in January, 2025.Claudia Greco/Reuters
Canada’s skeleton team won’t face any punishment after an investigation by the international governing body into allegations that it manipulated Olympic qualifying points at a race in Lake Placid, N.Y, last weekend.
In response to some outcry, the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation initiated its inquiry after Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton pulled four of its six athletes from a North American Cup women’s skeleton race, which is a developmental event below the World Cup level, last Sunday.
Shrinking the field consequently reduced ranking points for all competitors – some of whom were still trying to book spots in next month’s Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.
The late withdrawal caused complaints from some other competitors, including Denmark’s federation and five-time U.S. Olympian Katie Uhlaender. She won the race but received fewer Olympic qualifying points owing to the smaller field.
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The rivals alleged that Canada’s coach Joe Cecchini scratched the four development-team athletes from the final day of racing in Lake Placid merely to protect Canada’s Olympic second-quota place for Milano Cortina 2026.
After a review by its integrity unit, the IBSF said it dismissed the complaints “as the current IBSF Rules and Regulations did not give grounds for a breach of the International Rules, the Code of Conduct, and respectively the Code of Ethics, by the concerned coach or BCS.”
The IBSF found Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton did not break any rules. However, it did caution the Canadian federation.
“Notwithstanding the above conclusions, the IIU reminds the Canadian coach and the national federation that, whilst acting within the letter of the IBSF Code of Conduct, it is expected that all parties concerned should also act within the spirit of the Code, whose aim is to promote fair play and ethical conduct at all times.” The IIU refers to the Interim Integrity Unit.
The current IBSF rules allow federations to withdraw athletes from a competition at any time. The international governing body said it will task its sport committee to review it in its spring meetings to discuss if the rules should be adjusted.
In a statement to The Globe and Mail, Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton thanked the IBSF for “conducting a thorough, objective, and independent review of the situation.”
“Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton is committed to competing with honesty, transparency, and respect for the rules and standards that govern our sports,” read the statement. “We take great pride in achieving results through preparation, dedication, and fair competition, and remain focused on representing Canada with integrity both on and off the track.”
The Olympic women’s skeleton field next month in Italy’s Cortina d’Ampezzo will include just 25 competitors.
How many can represent one nation at the Olympics will be determined by where their athletes stand in the international rankings as of Jan. 18. Two countries will get to send three women to the Olympics, four countries can send two and 11 countries can bring just one.
Canada’s two senior female athletes, Hallie Clarke and Jane Channell, will be racing in the final World Cup races of the season on Friday in Altenberg, Germany, the last chance for them to collect Olympic qualifying points.