MILANO CORTINA 2026 LUGE & SKELETON
THE CAS AD HOC DIVISION REGISTERS TWO NEW CASES: BY KATIE UHLAENDER (USA) AND BY THE IRISH LUGE FEDERATION
Milan, 30 January 2026 – The CAS Ad hoc Division has registered two new cases relating to the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 (2026 OWG).
Skeleton athlete Katie Uhlaender (USA) has filed an appeal against Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton (BCS), the coach Joe Cecchini and the International Bobsled and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) concerning a decision issued by the IBSF Appeals Tribunal on 28 January 2026. The IBSF Appeals Tribunal dismissed her petition against BCS and Joe Cecchini, determining that it does not have the authority to modify the results of the final of the 11 January 2026 IBSF North American Cup Race, where four Canadian sliders were withdrawn from the race, causing a reduction of the points an athlete can earn.
Ms Uhlaender requests that CAS determine whether a decision by BCS to withdraw four of its athletes from the 11 January 2026 IBSF North American Cup Race was in violation of the Olympic Movement Code on the Prevention of the Manipulation of Competitions, and that BCS coaches violated the IBSF Code of Conduct. She also requests that full ranking points be awarded for the 11 January 2026 Lake Placid Race, which may affect the IBSF Ranking list in women’s skeleton and the selections for the OWG 2026.
The Irish Luge Federation (ILF) has filed an appeal against the International Luge Federation (FIL), challenging a FIL decision on 26 January 2026 concerning Luge athlete Ms Elsa Desmond (Ireland). The Appellant argues that the FIL unlawfully deprived the IFL of a qualifying place for the 2026 OWG by failing to allocate a remaining qualification place and unlawfully allocating qualification places to athletes granted Individual Neutral Athlete (AIN) status.
The ILF requests that CAS declare a failure to allocate them a qualifying place in violation of the FIL Qualification System. It also requests that CAS order the FIL to allocate a qualification place to the Olympic Federation of Ireland to enter an athlete into the women’s singles luge event for the 2026 OWG.
Both procedures are ongoing and decisions will be announced once made.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) is an independent organisation that resolves sports disputes worldwide. During the Olympic Games, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) assigns CAS the judicial authority to resolve legal disputes in an expedited timeframe, sometimes less than 24 hours after a case is filed. Athletes and sporting federations are guaranteed free access to quality dispute resolution services that are compatible with the Olympic competition schedule. You can read more about the CAS Ad hoc Division for Milano Cortina 2026 here.
