An Olympic medal ceremony scheduled for Tuesday was canceled on the final minute attributable to an rising "authorized challenge," the Worldwide Olympic Committee (IOC) mentioned at a press briefing in Beijing.

Athletes from Russia, america and Japan are but to obtain their medals for Monday's determine skating workforce occasion, a closing dominated by 15-year-old Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) sensation Kamila Valieva.

The delay includes the ROC and the worldwide doping authorities concerning a drug check carried out earlier than Beijing 2022, Olympic information web site Contained in the Video games has reported.

Earlier, IOC spokesperson Mark Adams advised reporters within the Chinese language capital that the Olympic governing physique was in "authorized session" with the Worldwide Skating Union (ISU).

"A scenario arose as we speak at quick discover which requires authorized session with the ISU," mentioned Adams.

"You will admire, as a result of there's authorized implications concerned on this, I am unable to actually discuss very way more about it at this stage," he mentioned. "We will provide you with an replace in the course of the day, and it'll turn into clearer."

"Nevertheless it's type of an rising challenge, so I am unable to truly add very way more in the meanwhile," mentioned Adams.

Russia Doping Mystery Halts Beijing Medal Ceremony
ROC skater Kamila Valieva, 15, takes half in the course of the ladies’s free skate workforce occasion on day three of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics on the Capital Indoor Stadium on February 7, 2022, in Beijing, China. The Worldwide Olympic Committee confirmed on February 9, 2022, that the determine skating medal ceremony scheduled for the day prior to this had been postponed over an rising “authorized challenge.” Jean Catuffe/Getty Photos

On the determine skating occasion held on Day 3 of the Winter Video games, Kazan-born Valieva made historical past by turning into the primary lady to land a quadruple bounce on the Olympics—a feat she carried out twice throughout her routine. Her show helped the ROC to a first-place end with 74 factors, whereas Group USA recorded its best-ever 65 factors and Japan earned 63.

Nevertheless, the athletes might go away Beijing with out their medals if the indefinite delay continues and so they fly out earlier than their placements are finalized and a ceremony could be rescheduled. Adams mentioned the IOC was "doing completely all the pieces" to make sure the scenario was resolved as shortly as attainable. "I am afraid, as , authorized points can typically drag on," he mentioned.

Russia is serving a four-year ban from main sporting competitions after being discovered responsible of state-sponsored doping in December 2019, however athletes who're in a position to show they're clear and freed from hyperlinks to the decade-long cover-up have been allowed to compete below a impartial banner for the reason that Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics. Having competed because the Olympic Athletes from Russia—or OAR—in South Korea, Russian athletes then took half within the postponed Tokyo Video games in the summertime of 2021 because the ROC, a designation retained for individuals in Beijing.

Per IOC guidelines, the athletes are prohibited from displaying symbols of their nation, together with its flag and nationwide anthem, all through the video games. Formally, even the complete title "Russian Olympic Committee" is banned—solely the acronym ROC is allowed.

Russia presently sits eighth within the Olympic medal desk with two gold. On the high are Norway and Sweden, every with 4 gold, and the Netherlands in third with three.