Olympics-Figure skating-Lawyers appeal to CAS to have U.S. team medals awarded

By Karolos Grohmann and Steve Keating

BEIJING (Reuters) - Lawyers for the United States figure skating athletes have asked the Court of Arbitration for Sport to rule that the skaters can receive their team silver medals before the end of the Beijing Olympics, a U.S. Figure Skating spokesman said on Saturday.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) had decided no medals for the competition -- won by the Russian Olympic Committee team -- would be presented until the doping case of Russian 15-year-old Kamila Valieva had been resolved.

That matter could take weeks or months.

Russia finished top, the U.S. second and Japan third. Canada were fourth in the event on Feb. 7.

Valieva tested positive for a banned heart drug after the Russian national championships on Dec. 25 but the result was not revealed until Feb. 8, the day after she helped the ROC win the team competition.

Valieva, now back in Russia, was cleared to compete in the women's single event by CAS, sport's highest court, but stumbled to fourth place amid all the drama.

CAS did not immediately responded to requests for comment. The IOC said it would not comment on an ongoing procedure.

The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee did not immediately respond.

(Reporting by: Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Ken Ferris)