After a long and arduous wait, the U.S. Olympic figure skating team has finally been awarded their well-deserved gold medals. The team, along with their Japanese counterparts, stood proudly on the podium at Champions Park in Paris to receive their gold and silver medals from the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
Originally, Russia had claimed the gold in the event, largely thanks to the remarkable performance of 15-year-old Kamila Valieva, who made history by landing the first-ever quadruple jump by a woman at the Olympics. However, Valieva's triumph was tainted when she tested positive for trimetazidine, a banned substance that is used to prevent angina, during the Russian national championships in December 2021.
The news of Valieva's failed drug test came to light only after the team final in Beijing, prompting the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to intervene. In light of the doping scandal, the IOC decided to withhold the official presentation of medals for the team figure skating event until Valieva's case was resolved.
For the U.S. figure skaters, this meant a prolonged period of uncertainty as they awaited a final decision on their rightful placement in the competition. Nearly two years after the initial event, the team's patience and perseverance have finally paid off as they stand tall as the rightful gold medalists in the eyes of the Olympic community.
