Skeleton Discussion | Qualification to Winter Olympic Games Milano Cortina 2026

[JockCartier 310]

3 hours ago, clemsonbeav said:

I think there must have been something between them, too.  Why would she have recorded a phone conversation?  Any why would he have said that?  Weird...

Why are they even talking in the first place? Definitely something odd

[JoshMartini007 2,821]

Quote

 

12. Ms. Uhlaender asserts, and the Appeals Tribunal assumes, that the ultimate result would have been that the USOPC would name Ms. Uhlaender (and not Mystique Ro) to the United States Olympic Skeleton Team. As noted above, quota spots are awarded to NOCs and not to athletes, and the Appeals Tribunal has not investigated the allocation of starting spots within the United States skeleton program. 

 

20. Ultimately, the reduction in points available did not impact the overall allocation of quota spots among NOCs. That is, even if the Lake Placid NAC had earned its racers 100% of the points available, no NOC would have gained or lost a quota spot in the Olympics as a consequence of the reduction of points to 75% of the maximum. 

 

33. Specifically, Ms. Uhlaender is not primarily asking that the Participant(s) who caused this issue be sanctioned, but rather that the Appeals Tribunal rewrite the race records as though 21 athletes participated. This is not allowed under the International Skeleton Rules, The Appeals Code, or the Olympic Movement Code.

 

 

These are the main points. The result had no bearings on the quota distribution and quotas are decided by their respective NOC. Additionally, Uhlaender is not looking to sanction any athletes or coaches. In the end the United States would always have 2 quotas and they can decide how they would like to use them, thus this is outside the scope of this appeal.

 

Despite the expected loss here, Uhlaender did get a critical statement:

 

 

30. The Appeals Tribunal is satisfied that the action of the Canadians was intentional and directed to reducing the points available to athletes who slid at the final Lake Placid NAC.

 

 

This can be used in an appeal to her federation. I know she's trying to avoid unseating Ro's spot, but honestly that's the only option she has if she wants to compete at the Olympics.

[JockCartier 310]

2 hours ago, JoshMartini007 said:

 

 

 

This can be used in an appeal to her federation. I know she's trying to avoid unseating Ro's spot, but honestly that's the only option she has if she wants to compete at the Olympics.

That's the tree she should have been barking up all along. 

I wonder if there are issues between her and the USABS too. I noticed they kept their names off all these appeals and advocacy she's been doing, it's the USOPC backing her. 

[JoshMartini007 2,821]

13 minutes ago, JockCartier said:

That's the tree she should have been barking up all along. 

I wonder if there are issues between her and the USABS too. I noticed they kept their names off all these appeals and advocacy she's been doing, it's the USOPC backing her. 

From my limited knowledge it looks like USABS made their selection a while ago. Competing in the NAC was already her last ditch effort to try and get selected, but honestly I wouldn't be surprised if they went with Ro, even if she had fewer points.

[NearPup 4,136]

2 minutes ago, JoshMartini007 said:

From my limited knowledge it looks like USABS made their selection a while ago. Competing in the NAC was already her last ditch effort to try and get selected, but honestly I wouldn't be surprised if they went with Ro, even if she had fewer points.

Ro is just the better slider between the two of them in the year of our lord two thousand and twenty six.

[Josh 13,429]

2 hours ago, JoshMartini007 said:

 

These are the main points. The result had no bearings on the quota distribution and quotas are decided by their respective NOC. Additionally, Uhlaender is not looking to sanction any athletes or coaches. In the end the United States would always have 2 quotas and they can decide how they would like to use them, thus this is outside the scope of this appeal.

 

Despite the expected loss here, Uhlaender did get a critical statement:

 

 

30. The Appeals Tribunal is satisfied that the action of the Canadians was intentional and directed to reducing the points available to athletes who slid at the final Lake Placid NAC.

 

 

This can be used in an appeal to her federation. I know she's trying to avoid unseating Ro's spot, but honestly that's the only option she has if she wants to compete at the Olympics.

If she did well enough at the US Trials for the WC she wouldn’t have to compete at these NAC events, this is complete bullshit. 
 

I feel for her in a way that she didn’t qualify because of it, but when Canada decided to withdraw them they didn’t do it to prevent Uhlaender from qualifying, they did it to increase Chanell’s odds. 
 

Ro is probably more of a threat to the podium than Uhlaender, Canadian federation would’ve kept the young athletes in if their goal was trying to take out the stronger athletes. If there’s a loophole getting mad at the Canadians for exploiting it is ridiculous. If anything it should be the federation. 

[Josh 13,429]

1 minute ago, NearPup said:

Ro is just the better slider between the two of them in the year of our lord two thousand and twenty six.

Exactly. She has been for a few years now

[clemsonbeav 440]

2 minutes ago, Josh said:

If there’s a loophole getting mad at the Canadians for exploiting it is ridiculous. If anything it should be the federation. 

Unless doing so can get you into the Olympics without kicking out Ro, perhaps.

[JockCartier 310]

25 minutes ago, clemsonbeav said:

Unless doing so can get you into the Olympics without kicking out Ro, perhaps.

 

I think Ro is on a lot of marketing stuff, so I don't imagine USABS would be all that keen on her losing the spot. Perhaps that accounts for their deafening silence. 

[JoshMartini007 2,821]

1 hour ago, Josh said:

If there’s a loophole getting mad at the Canadians for exploiting it is ridiculous. If anything it should be the federation. 

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.