Olympic team receives gold medals two and a half years after event took place
Kya Buller
Featured Image Credit: Michael Reaves/Getty Images/Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Team USA figure skaters who competed at the 2022 Winter Olympics have finally received their medals after two years due to a scandal.
The 2022 Olympics, which took place in Beijing, saw the athletes of Team USA -Nathan Chen, Vincent Zhou, Karen Chen, Alexa Knierim, Brandon Frazier, Madison Chock, Evan Bates, Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue - initially finish in second place.
But yesterday (7 August), they have been presented with gold medals, and Team Japan received silver medals.
All of this confusing behaviour, however, comes down to a very high profile incident.
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In 2022, Russia initially were crowned winners and won gold - but it was then discovered that one of their athletes, Kamila Valieva, had tested positive for banned substances.
Tests revealed that she had tested positive for the banned substance Trimetazidine, with further reports revealing that Valieva was given 56 medications, nutritional and dietary supplements over a two-year period between the ages of 13-15, according to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, as per the BBC.
She received a four year ban, and their win was removed as a result.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) then decided not to award any medals for the competition while they figured out who should be placed where while an investigation took place.
Fast forward to now, and Team USA have finally been crowned as the winners and presented with their medals.
The athletes were all smiles during the exchange which took place near the Eiffel Tower.
Thousands of fans watched and the athletes held bouquets of flowers and proudly wore their medals around their necks.
NPR reports that people chanted "USA!"
Two athletes, Bates and Chock, appeared to cry and 'The Star Spangled Banner' played in the background.
It was announced on 25 July that Team USA had been determined as the winners and would receive their medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The committee announced on July 25 that Team USA would be awarded their gold medals two and a half years later at the Paris Olympics.
The Star-Spangled Banner plays for the United States’ 2022 Winter Olympic figure skating gold medalists. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/9jQoG5jY28
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024
The IOC stated: "[The IOC has] great sympathy with the athletes who have had to wait for two years to get the final results of their competition.
"The IOC will contact the respective (national Olympic committees) in order to organise a dignified Olympic medal ceremony.”
People on social media were overjoyed by the scenes.
One person wrote: "Finally! Congratulations Team USA," while another said: "Beautiful. Glad you finally got them. Specially nice watching you singing the Star-Spangled Banner. You make us proud."
A third added: "So happy they finally got their medals, this was long overdue!"