Skeleton’s governing body dismisses charge of ‘competition manipulation,’ main accuser says her evidence was never considered

By Don Riddell, CNN

(CNN) — The governing body for the winter sport of skeleton, the International Bobsled Skeleton Federation (IBSF), has dismissed complaints that the Canadian women’s team and its coach Joe Cecchini engaged in competition manipulation at the North American Cup race in Lake Placid last weekend.

American slider Katie Uhlaender won the race on Sunday, but because four Canadian athletes had been withdrawn shortly before the competition, the field dropped to a size that reduced the number of ranking points available, effectively ending Uhlaender’s hopes of qualifying for a sixth Olympic Games next month.

Uhlaender believes that Canada’s decision to reduce the size of the field was a deliberate strategy to try to benefit one of their own sliders from being passed in overall rankings, snagging another berth for the Canadian women’s team at the Games. Other athletes were also impacted by the reduction in points available.

In a statement to CNN Sports, Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton (BCS) vehemently denied accusations that the organization and its coach, Joe Cecchini, had intentionally altered its lineup to help Canadians earn another berth. Nonetheless, the decision to withdraw four Canadian athletes at late notice may have impacted the Olympic prospects of other competitors and possibly even the future careers of others.

Uhlaender, a five-time Olympian and two-time world champion, said a minimum of 21 athletes needed to compete in Lake Placid for the maximum number of points to be awarded. Since only 19 sliders ended up competing, the points available were reduced. Four Canadian women, who had been entered to race, watched from the sidelines.

“During the first official training day, where you qualify for the race, Canada decided to pull their athletes,” Uhlaender told CNN Sports. “They did it in a manner that gave the ruse that they were going to compete, that everything was fine, and it put everyone in a position where they could not go anywhere else to race. They reduced the points of the race intentionally. A lot of athletes were depending on this race to collect points and prepare for Olympic selections on January 18.”

Uhlaender estimates that at least three to five athletes, including herself, could now miss the games in Italy as a result, but the loss of points could also impact next season’s funding for some, potentially even forcing them into early retirement.

“The entire field was negatively affected,” she said, comparing the sequence of events at Lake Placid to the biggest scourge in sports: doping.

Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton refuted the accusations against their program, telling CNN in a statement that the change was intended to protect its younger athletes and ultimately allowed its two most experienced sliders to compete.

“Decisions regarding competition participation are made on an ongoing basis,” the team said, “with careful consideration of athlete health, safety, and long-term development, as well as the needs of the program as a whole.

“The Lake Placid event presented unique circumstances, as it consisted of three races in a single week rather than the standard two. Four of our athletes entered in the event are young and relatively new to the sport. All experienced a particularly challenging week on the track,” the statement said.

In siding with Canada in its decision, the IBSF quoted Section 7 of its Code of Ethics, stating “No person shall violate the principles of fair play by engaging in improper conduct or attempting to alter the course or result of a competition, except as expressly permitted by the rules and regulations governing the competition.” However, Section 8.6 (d) of the IBSF International Skeleton rules states “Entries may be withdrawn at any time.” The explanation continued, “The International Skeleton Rules do not provide any additional consequences for late withdrawal of athletes.

“The late withdrawal of athletes intuitively gives rise to concern that the action may have constituted impermissible manipulation. At the same time, the express language of Section 7 of the IBSF Code of Ethics precludes any finding that conduct ‘expressly permitted’ by the competition rules is ‘improper’ or creates an ‘undue benefit.’”

The IBSF warned the Canadian Federation and its coach that they should abide by the spirit of the code, promoting fair play and ethical conduct, but that will be no consolation to the athletes who flagged concerns in Lake Placid. Despite making her accusation public, Uhlaender says that the IBSF never contacted her and the evidence she says that she sent to in two emails to the governing body was never acknowledged.

CNN Sports has contacted the IBSF for comment.

An internal memo, purportedly from Cecchini to his athletes and provided to CNN Sports by multiple sources, suggests the point standings for some competitors was part of the calculus – be it innocuous or intended – in allowing for rest time.

“Due to the current dynamics of Olympic qualification and the evolving points situation, the women will not be participating in the NAC Lake Placid,” read the memo.

“The decision has been made to ensure that we have a complete and accurate understanding of the points landscape, qualification implications, and confirmed start numbers before proceeding. Once we have full clarity on these factors, participation will be determined in alignment with overall program priorities and the best interests of the national team.”

CNN Sports has reached out to Cecchini for comment and the Canadian Olympic Committee referred CNN to the BCS statement.

Other competing nations soon weighed in after the event. The head of Denmark’s bobsled and skeleton federation criticized the move in a statement to The Canadian Press, calling the decision “the opposite of fair play.”

Uhlaender says she’s been a friend of Cecchini’s for 20 years. On hearing that the standing of the race in Lake Placid could be affected, Uhlaender says she contacted him via phone call to try and persuade him to change course, to no avail.

“I genuinely wanted to understand what he was doing and why because I thought he was logical, I thought he was fair,” she explained. “And in this instance I couldn’t understand it, and it felt like bullying.”

Despite all the acrimony at Lake Placid, Uhlaender says it was uplifting to see the athletes come together, in support of each other.

“Everyone cheered for every female athlete that was racing, but particularly we made sure to show the Canadian athletes love because we know it’s not their fault. If their leadership is acting in this manner, it’s imperative we look at that.”

It remains to be seen whether her friendship with Cecchini will survive, but she says that she felt compelled to speak out.

“This was a very difficult situation because not only did a friend of 20 years potentially nail the coffin at the end of my career, but they hurt a whole field of athletes at the same time. I don’t want to betray my friend, but at the same time, the integrity of sport is something I have an obligation to uphold as a five-time Olympian,” she said.

“I feel sport reflects societal values and at times our stage is where people turn to. I feel at the end of my career it’s my duty to represent what I believe in, the integrity of sport and the Olympic movement.”

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