Canada defends skeleton withdrawals that denied U.S. slider shot at 6th Olympics

Canadian officials have issued a staunch defence of their decision to withdraw four athletes from a skeleton race on Sunday, which meant that American Katie Uhlaender's hope of making a sixth Olympics disappeared, despite winning the ​race.

Uhlaender, 41, a double world champion with an Olympic best of fourth in 2014, was a long shot to make the Games, but had still been hoping to get in via ranking points.

She won the development race in Lake Placid - her last opportunity before the Jan. 18 cut-off — but, due to the Canadian withdrawals, the field dropped to a size that reduced the number of ranking points available, ending Uhlaender's qualification ​hopes.

Uhlaender told dw.com that she had been told by Canada's head coach Joe Cecchini on Friday of the plan for the withdrawals.

"I cried when I found out he went through with this plan," she said. "I ⁠didn't know if it hurt more that my friend of 20 years just nailed my coffin, my Olympic ‍dream is over. Or, that ⁠my best friend of 20 years is doing something so horrible that ​hurts so many people."

Uhlaender said she understood that Cecchini, who competed in skeleton for Italy at the 2018 Winter Olympics, made the decision to ensure Canada's Jane Channell could not miss out on qualification.

However, Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton (BCS) offered a robust defense of the decision, telling Reuters that it was made 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