U.S Figure Skating team to receive gold medals in special ceremony at 2024 Olympics after ruling upheld

The U.S figure skating team that earned a silver medal at the 2022 Beijing Olympics is set to officially be elevated to gold. The U.S Figure Skating governing body announced on Thursday that the team would receive their gold medals in Paris during a special ceremony two years after the competition.

"Over the past 2.5 years, these athletes have conducted themselves with dignity and humility in their fight for clean sport and a level playing field across all Olympic sports," U.S. Figure Skating CEO Tracy Marek wrote in a statement posted to the team's X, formerly Twitter, account. "We are elated that Evan Bates, Karen Chen, Nathan Chen, Madison Chock, Zachary Donohue, Brandon Frazier, Madison Hubbell, Alexa Knierim and Vincent Zhou will be rightfully celebrated as gold medalists in Paris, receiving the Olympic moment they were denied at Beijing 2022.

"In addition to being proud of these athletes, U.S. Figure Skating would like to thank the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee for its steadfast support in this matter and the International Olympic Committee for its commitment to making this ceremony a reality."

The Russian Olympic Committee originally claimed gold behind a strong team performance led by Kamila Valieva. However, just 24 hours after the event, it was revealed that Valieva tested positive for a banned performance-enhancing substance -- causing her and her teammates to forfeit the gold medals and paved the way for a two-year long investigation. In January, the Court of Arbitration for Sports ruled that Valieva was disqualified from the Olympics and banned until 2025 . They also declared the United States gold medalists shortly thereafter.

The CAS also denied three appeals from the Russian Olympic Committee about the decision to disqualify Valieva. In a press release Thursday, the court wrote : "Following the hearing that took place on June 12, 2024, the Panel deliberated and concluded that the results of Ms. Valieva in the Olympic Figure Skating Team Event were correctly disqualified in the Challenged Decision, and that the ROC Skating Team could not be awarded the gold medal."

Aside from the United States' gold-medal finish, Japan took home silver and Russia was instead awarded bronze. However, Canada, which finished fourth in Beijing, has since filed an appeal for bronze medals to the CAS, and that case remains ongoing.