The Canadian skeleton federation is forcefully rejecting allegations from a decorated American athlete that one of its coaches deliberately manipulated an international competition to sabotage her chances of qualifying for a sixth Olympic Games.
Allegations of Strategic Withdrawal
Five-time U.S. Olympian and two-time world champion Katie Uhlaender has publicly accused a Canadian coach of engineering a last-minute withdrawal of athletes from a North American Cup race in Lake Placid, New York, on January 12, 2026. Uhlaender claims the move was designed to limit the number of qualification points available, effectively ending her bid for the Milan Cortina Winter Games.
In interviews with international media, Uhlaender identified the coach as Joe Cecchini, a former Italian Olympian and a friend of twenty years. She alleges Cecchini called her two days before the event to explain his plan. His stated goal, according to Uhlaender, was to "eliminate any possibilities" of a senior Canadian slider, identified as two-time Olympian Jane Channell, missing the Games by protecting the Canadian team's International Bobsled and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) ranking.
Canada's Defense: Athlete Welfare First
Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton (BCS) has issued a statement offering a starkly different rationale for pulling four athletes from the third race of the week in Lake Placid. The federation described the sliders as "younger athletes" and "relatively new to the sport" who had already endured a demanding week on the challenging track.
BCS stated the decision was made in consultation with two IBSF officials and was solely in the best interest of the athletes' safety and development. The North American Cup is a developmental circuit where athletes can earn crucial points toward Olympic qualification, with the window closing on January 18, 2026.
The Point System and Olympic Dreams
The controversy hinges on the IBSF qualification system, where the number of athletes who start a race directly influences the total points awarded. A smaller field means fewer points are available for the winners.
Despite winning the gold medal in the disputed Lake Placid race, the field of only 21 competitors left Uhlaender short of the points she needed. The 41-year-old is currently ranked 20th in the world but is the third-highest American, putting her outside the Olympic qualification picture. Meanwhile, Canada's Jane Channell is ranked 26th globally and is clinging to an Olympic berth heading into the final World Cup event.
"He did not have to do that. He did it because he could," Uhlaender told the London Times. "And it wasn't to protect his athletes; it was to manipulate the system... I hadn't let go of the dream yet. I don't get to have a shot now. It was over before I had a chance."
The National Post has reached out to Katie Uhlaender for further comment. The incident casts a shadow over the final days of Olympic qualifying for the sport, raising questions about the integrity of the process and the intense national rivalries at play.
