Olympic Figure Skating Champion Throws Banter at Hosting Committee Following Team USA’s Gold Medal Win

The figure skating sport in the US is witnessing an unraveling situation in this season lately. Previously, even claiming the junior title as early as possible, Amber Glenn had to wait for 10 years to earn the national figure skating title. Now, another fiasco is aiming to take over the figure skating center stage differently. But both these happenings have a common point and that is being late on the occasion. The same went with the US national figure skating team who participated in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. 

But this time, compared with Glenn’s situation, the duration for waiting is less – 271 days. But the stakes are high- being deprived of the Olympic medals even after winning it. So, flak was bound to come towards the Olympic hosting committee. 

The Figure Skating Medal Handover Dilemma from the Olympics 

In the 2022 Winter Olympics Games, the American figure skating team had come just behind the ROC competitors. Eventually, the ROC team member Kamila Valieva’s result in the doping test surfaced after the ultimate figure skating event on February 7, 2022. So, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had voted against the medal ceremony for that event in the Olympics at that time. Since then, a tightrope situation kept that medal ceremony in obscurity. Ultimately, Kamila Valieva had faced a ban from the figure skating sport for a duration. So, ROC’s gold medal from that event was bound to pass to the USA. 

But a 271-day-long legal procedure dissipated the sides to get a logical result. Eventually, Scott Hamilton, the figure skating legend, took a jibe at that long process and the complexities of it. Prioritizing the value of Olympic honor, he penned, “It’s been almost 40 years since I received my Olympic Gold Medal, and it’s a moment I will never forget.”

But soon the 1984 Olympic figure skating champion couldn’t believe the American figure skaters’ luck who’re still waiting for their 2022 Winter Olympics medal. “How’s that even possible!”, he quipped. But with that, Hamilton also expressed, “I can’t wait for Team USA to receive their hard-earned and well-deserved Gold Medals”.

Lastly, he mentioned the canceled medal ceremony. As per the 65-year-old former Olympian, a fitting ceremony performed in “a cool way” would be the best choice. But as of now, nothing seems to be settled. 

The USA is yet to receive its first team event medal in the category 

On January 29, 2024, it was evident that the USA would get its first Winter Olympics figure skating gold medal at the team event. However, the follow-up process looked to be in the dark. Spilling some beans on the situation, US Olympic committee chief Sarah Hirshland once said, “Their moment is approaching, and when it arrives, it will serve as a testament to the justice and recognition they truly deserve.”

Read more: Amidst Kamila Valieva Doping Scandal, International Skating Union Shares Olympic Medal Update

But as of now, the nine American participants – Nathan Chen, Vincent Zhou, Karen Chen, Alexa Knierim, Brandon Frazier, Madison Chock, Evan Bates, Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue are still waiting to keep their hands on those gold medals. But missing the actual sentiment would hurt them. On this matter, the participant Zachary Donohue conceded, “I think that being on an actual Olympic podium is necessary.” He further added, “The amount of people in any country that start skating and then make it to the Olympics, much less medal, is so small that it would be belittling to host it somewhere else. It wouldn’t be the same thing.”

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