US Olympian speaks out after Team Canada withdrawal prevents her from qualifying for Milan-Cortina

Five-time Team USA Olympian Katie Uhlaender was connected her mode to making her sixth Winter Games. But past a determination by Team Canada took it each away. 

With a changeable astatine qualifying during the North American Skeleton Cup successful Lake Placid, New York, earlier this month, Canada withdrew 4 of its athletes from competition. The withdrawal shrunk the full magnitude of points the contention could award, making it intolerable for Uhlaender to gain capable for Olympic qualification. 

Four Canadian women’s skeleton athletes were withdrawn conscionable earlier competition. Under International Bobsled and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) rules, lone 75% of points were issued, mathematically eliminating Uhlaender from Milan-Cortina earlier the archetypal vigor adjacent began.

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Katie Uhlaender of the U.S. competes successful the women’s skeleton lawsuit astatine the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic Winter Games astatine the Olympic Sliding Center successful Pyeongchang, South Korea, Feb. 17, 2018. (James Lang/USA Today Sports)

One of the Canadian athletes said the coaches said the crushed for the withdrawal was owed to "the champion involvement for the mode points had worked." 

"They had travel implicit and explained to america that it would beryllium successful the champion involvement for the mode points had worked for Jane, truthful that we arsenic a squad tin suffice 2 spots to the Olympics," Canadian skeleton racer Madeline Parra told The Canadian Press.

Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton (BCS) said the determination to retreat the athletes was made "after cautious valuation of the program's needs and successful consultation with the IBSF" and "careful information of jock health, safety, and semipermanent development."

"It was determined that continuing to contention these athletes was not successful their champion interests, nor successful the champion interests of the program," it added.

For Uhlaender, astatine 41 years old, the result was hard to swallow, but she besides feels for each different rival affected. So, present she is warring back. 

"It wounded each of us," Uhlaender told Fox News Digital. "So, erstwhile I turned, and I looked astatine these young women, due to the fact that I'm a elder I've been to 5 Olympics, this would beryllium my sixth. 

"So, immoderate of these girls are trying to marque their first, and they're young … truthful I thought it was my work arsenic an American Olympian and idiosyncratic who believes successful doing the close happening to accidental something." 

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Katie Uhlaender of the U.S. reacts aft the women’s skeleton vigor 2 tally during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games astatine the Olympic Sliding Center successful Pyeongchang, South Korea, Feb. 16, 2018. (Mark Ralston/AFP via Getty Images)

Uhlaender has lobbied the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) to taxable a missive to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), asking for an further Olympic spot for her. Fox News Digital has obtained a transcript of the letter.

"These actions circumvented the Olympic qualification principles, undermined just competition, and yet deprived Ms. Uhlaender of the accidental to vie successful the XXV Milan-Cortina Winter Games," the letter, signed by USOPC Chief of Sport & Athlete Services Rocky Harris, said. 

"It is undeniable that Ms. Uhlaender deserves to spell to the Olympic Games." 

Uhlaender antecedently submitted an entreaty to the IBS, and says she had to wage a $5,000 interest to bash it.

IBSF’s Interim Integrity Unit investigated allegations of contention manipulation. It acknowledged the withdrawals raised interest but concluded the governing rules let teams to retreat athletes astatine immoderate time. Because the rulebook contains nary punishment oregon safeguard for precocious withdrawals that change points distribution, the IIU dismissed the complaint.

But Uhlaender didn't backmost down, vowing to situation the determination further and adjacent rallied planetary enactment down her cause. 

Belgium, South Korea, the Virgin Islands, Malta, Israel and Denmark's teams person each enactment their enactment down Uhlaender's efforts, sending letters of enactment to the USOPC to effort and person the lawsuit further investigated. 

"My friends successful Denmark and I, we haven't talked astir Greenland once," Uhlaender joked.

Uhlaender has adjacent said that immoderate Canadian athletes are privately supporting her successful this battle. 

She is not ruling retired taking the contented to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) until it is resolved. 

Vice President JD Vance volition pb the U.S. Presidential Delegation to the Milan-Cortina Olympics adjacent month. Uhlaender hopes the vice president volition advocator for her participation. 

"As U.S. Vice President JD Vance is scheduled to conscionable with the enactment of the International Olympic Committee, I respectfully inquire that helium basal with maine arsenic an Olympian that has represented the United States of America and our values, the USOPC, and the galore affected nations successful supporting our petition to IOC President Kirsty Coventry to usage her authorization to uphold fairness successful Olympic athletics by granting a wildcard entry," Uhlaender said.

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Katie Uhlaender of the U.S. poses for a representation during the Team USA Beijing 2022 Olympic sprout successful Irvine, Calif., Sept. 12, 2021. (Tom Pennington/Getty Images for Team USA)

"Doing truthful would support the integrity of contention and forestall further harm. Such enactment would nonstop a almighty connection to young athletes everywhere: that lasting up for morals and integrity whitethorn beryllium difficult, but it matters."

Fox News Digital has reached retired to BCS and the IBSF for a response. 

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