Skeleton Discussion | Qualification to Winter Olympic Games Milano Cortina 2026

[NearPup 4,166]

6 minutes ago, JoshMartini007 said:

I suspect IBSF will make the point system equal in the future regardless on the number of competitors.

 

My fear is that they will make the awarded points lower, like only 90 points to the winner to balance it out.

They can also just count DNSs to handle this specific situation.

[evil betty 88]

On 1/29/2026 at 6:56 PM, JoshMartini007 said:

I suspect IBSF will make the point system equal in the future regardless on the number of competitors.

 

My fear is that they will make the awarded points lower, like only 90 points to the winner to balance it out.

It used to be only 65 or 70 when there were the intercontinental cup races, which gave more points.

[Surreal 33]

Hey guys, I contribute Skeleton articles for a new winter-sports focused website called "All things Snow".

 

I was wondering if any of you could please spare a few moments to read my latest article on the World Cup finale in Altenberg a few weeks ago.

 

Any feedback on length, content, or just general tips will be greatly appreciated. I'll be sure to implement them in my Olympic Skeleton recap pieces. Thanks!

 

https://allthingssnow.net/2026/01/19/pfeifer-and-wyatt-win-the-finale-meylemans-and-weston-seal-crystal-globes/

[Olympian1010 8,297]

1 hour ago, Surreal said:

Hey guys, I contribute Skeleton articles for a new winter-sports focused website called "All things Snow".

 

I was wondering if any of you could please spare a few moments to read my latest article on the World Cup finale in Altenberg a few weeks ago.

 

Any feedback on length, content, or just general tips will be greatly appreciated. I'll be sure to implement them in my Olympic Skeleton recap pieces. Thanks!

 

https://allthingssnow.net/2026/01/19/pfeifer-and-wyatt-win-the-finale-meylemans-and-weston-seal-crystal-globes/

I'm too busy working on stuff now, but if you DM some links, I can gave you some tips after the Olympics.

[clemsonbeav 568]

https://nypost.com/2026/01/31/sports/team-canada-skeleton-coach-joe-cecchini-speaks-out-after-american-katie-uhlaender-manipulation-claim/

 

Oh the drama....

 

Cecchini: “I don’t really wanna speak negatively about Katie, but Katie was not on the World Cup team. She wasn’t a top-tier athlete in that program anymore. She was at the end of her career. I would personally would rather race against Katie. She’s not as competitive as the other athletes,” he said. “It’s probably really unfair to say and not really where I want to go with this but that’s where we are with that.”

 

Uhlaender: “If I were Canada, I would be concerned in how this coach is representing the Olympic values for his country,” Uhlaender told Fox News Digital. “He hurt a whole field of athletes, all with dreams, and this sends the message that they don’t matter unless they are number one. All athletes matter, and we all deserve to compete fairly, with integrity, and respect. He did not respect anyone in that field.

“This is not about my resume or how good the athletes were in the race. This is about the fact that he intentionally manipulated the competition to hurt myself and 13 other countries because he felt it necessary to eliminate all possibility. That is against the spirit of sport and not what the Olympic movement represents.”

 

Isn't it great when other people's dirty laundry is aired?  /sarcasm

 

 

(I was a little surprised to see NPR pick this up, but per this article, Uhlaender preemptively recorded the phone call after receiving a text from Cecchini that said he had 'bad news' for her.)

Edited February 1 by clemsonbeav

[JockCartier 311]

I’m glad it’s every bit as stupid and petty as I figured

[JockCartier 311]

https://www.tas-cas.org/generated/assets/lists/dceab111-07bc-435f-b5f9-de88eff9db72/CAS Media Release_Milano_Cortina_2026_AHD_03_final.pdf

 

And CAS Ad Hoc says it has no jurisdiction over the Uhlaender appeal, as it happened outside the window in which the Ad Hoc division operates. Presumably, finally putting an end to this farce. 

[clemsonbeav 568]

26 minutes ago, JockCartier said:

https://www.tas-cas.org/generated/assets/lists/dceab111-07bc-435f-b5f9-de88eff9db72/CAS Media Release_Milano_Cortina_2026_AHD_03_final.pdf

 

And CAS Ad Hoc says it has no jurisdiction over the Uhlaender appeal, as it happened outside the window in which the Ad Hoc division operates. Presumably, finally putting an end to this farce. 

Interesting that this wasn't a matter of 'he was right' or 'she was right'...rather 'Sorry, if something had happened four days later, we would have had jurisdiction'.  (So who did have jurisdiction?)

[JockCartier 311]

21 minutes ago, clemsonbeav said:

Interesting that this wasn't a matter of 'he was right' or 'she was right'...rather 'Sorry, if something had happened four days later, we would have had jurisdiction'.  (So who did have jurisdiction?)

 

Perhaps CAS proper? Not sure, it's not my world. Would have hoped her lawyers and the USOPC would have though. 

Though, even if it didn't stop there, apparently she was still asking for an "extra" spot, which isn't in CAS AH's jurisdiction either... as it wasn't in the IBSF's tribunals before that...

Ultimately it was an internal USABS selection issue, and I'm sure they have some domestic mediation established to decide on such things, and failing that, then take them to CAS... but her team went barking up every tree but that. 

To be honest, I really wonder whether she was even trying to win and wasn't just using it as a big PR stunt

Edited February 2 by JockCartier

[Grassmarket 4,274]

50 minutes ago, JockCartier said:

https://www.tas-cas.org/generated/assets/lists/dceab111-07bc-435f-b5f9-de88eff9db72/CAS Media Release_Milano_Cortina_2026_AHD_03_final.pdf

 

And CAS Ad Hoc says it has no jurisdiction over the Uhlaender appeal, as it happened outside the window in which the Ad Hoc division operates. Presumably, finally putting an end to this farce. 

They have literally done this with every single case!  Bolshunov in CC, Ireland in Luge & now this.   Nice work for the Hilton Hotel, Milan.