Figure skating-Canada to appeal ISU ruling that awarded Russia bronze medal

(Reuters) -Skate Canada has decided to appeal the International Skating Union's (ISU) decision to award Russia's figure skating team bronze in the 2022 Beijing Olympics despite the disqualification of Kamila Valieva, the national governing body said on Friday.

Teenager Valieva received a four-year doping ban in late January, effective from December 2021, stripping the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) of the gold medal in the team event nearly two years after the competition.

It was thought that Canada, who finished fourth in the event, would be promoted to bronze.

But the ISU said the ROC total score even after Valieva's marks were erased was still a point better than the Canadians.

"Skate Canada believes that it is crucial for the integrity of competitive figure skating that rules and regulations are upheld consistently and fairly," Skate Canada said in a statement.

"While we respect the decisions made by the ISU, we disagree with the conclusion they have reached and believe that an independent review will provide much needed clarity for all impacted parties."

In the aftermath of the ISU ruling, Skate Canada argued the decision did not apply Rule 353, which states that "competitors having finished the competition and who initially placed lower than the disqualified competitor will move up accordingly in their placement."

In its long-awaited ruling, the Court of Arbitration for Sport found Valieva guilty of committing an anti-doping rule violation that rocked the Beijing Olympics when news of it first emerged and frustrated competitors who have been left waiting for their medals ever since.

The ISU published an amended final points table that has the United States bumped up to gold with 65 points, Japan winning silver with 63 and Russia taking bronze with 54.

Canada -- represented by Roman Sadovsky, Madeline Schizas, Kristen Moore-Towers, Michael Marinaro, Vanessa James, Eric Radford, Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier -- scored 53.

(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Additional reporting by Lori Ewing in Manchester, England; Editing by Ken Ferris)