In a historic moment at the Paris Summer Olympics, the U.S. figure skating team was awarded gold medals for their performance at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. This comes after a lengthy two-year delay due to a doping scandal involving Russian skater Kamila Valieva.
During the 2022 Winter Olympics, Valieva led the Russian team to a gold medal, while the U.S. team secured silver. However, it was later revealed that Valieva had tested positive for a banned substance. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) recently upheld the decision to disqualify Valieva, leading to the reallocation of medals: the U.S. team moved up to gold, Japan to silver, and the Russian team to bronze.
The ceremony took place near the Eiffel Tower, and the U.S. team, including skaters Nathan Chen, Vincent Zhou, and Karen Chen, celebrated their long-awaited victory. "It feels amazing to finally be recognized as the gold medalists," said Nathan Chen, reflecting on the journey and challenges the team faced.
The medal reallocation marks a significant moment in Olympic history, as it addresses the ongoing issues of doping in sports and reinforces the importance of fair competition. Despite the delay, the U.S. team is thrilled to finally receive the recognition they earned on the ice.