🔗 Share this article Canada Cleared of American Claims of Manipulating Skeleton Olympic Selection Race Canada's skeleton athletes have been absolved of charges that they rigged a selection race for the Winter Olympics, thereby denying competitors from other nations a spot to secure their place. The Core Allegation and Official Inquiry US skeleton veteran a five-time Olympian alleged the team from Canada of withdrawing a majority of its competitors from a race in Lake Placid. She claimed this shrunk the competition, making a lower points pool available. Although she took first place, Uhlaender failed to earn her berth for the Milan-Cortina Games. “Existing federation regulations allow National Federations to pull competitors from competition at any time,” declared the governing body. After reviewing the matter, the IBSF stated it would not impose sanctions, rejecting the allegations as no rules were broken of its code. Defense and Rationale In response, the Canadian federation stood by the withdrawals, citing athlete welfare and the need for rest. They stated that the individuals pulled had competed extensively that week and the decision was “correct, transparent and aligned with both athlete welfare and the sport's fairness.” Coaches from several affected nations had previously expressed “serious concerns” about the qualification process. Uhlaender's Olympic Quest For Katie Uhlaender, the Milan-Cortina Games are planned to be her last Games. While she can still qualify, the probable American berths are projected for Kelly Curtis and Mystique Ro. She is a former world champion whose closest Olympic finish was just off the podium in 2014. A Contentious Sporting Climate This incident comes during a time of heightened tension in sports between the two North American nations. Statements from political figures and trade disputes have fueled a intense competitive atmosphere. Notable recent events include the 4 Nations Face-off and a thrilling World Series featuring clubs in the two countries.