The decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to award the bronze medal in the 2022 Olympic team event to the Russian squad is being interpreted in Moscow as a vindication of the country’s strength on the world stage. The Russian Figure Skating Federation (FFKKR) has commented that the outcome reinforces the reputation of Russian skaters as among the very best at these Games, highlighting the depth and resilience of the team across disciplines.
In a statement issued by the FFKKR, officials expressed gratitude to everyone who stood up for the interests of the athletes. They conveyed confidence that the Olympic team demonstrated superior performance across the team competition, maintaining that the Russians remained a formidable force in Beijing.
On August 2, CAS rejected Canada’s appeal and declined to reexamine the results of the team event. As a result, the Russian team retained the bronze medal. This decision came after reconsideration of the results that had initially altered the medal podium during the Games, and it confirmed the team’s final standing in the event.
The sequence of rankings shifted when Kamila Valieva’s disqualification led to a move from first place to third. CAS made clear that Russia’s request for a gold medal in the team event would not be granted, which in turn led to a redistribution of medals: the United States claimed gold, Japan took silver, and Russia settled for bronze, as confirmed by the CAS ruling.
There was no attendance for the medal ceremony in Paris on the scheduled date, with the Russian delegation not being invited to participate in the August 7 ceremony. The decision was received with varied reactions within the sport’s community, reflecting the ongoing debates about eligibility rules, athlete conduct, and the legal procedures that govern Olympic competition.
Earlier, Alexandra Trusova was noted for restoring the quadruple Lutz in competition, a milestone that underscored the level of technical difficulty present in Russian women’s figure skating during the Games and the broader implications for program design and execution in the sport.