US figure skaters celebrate gold medal from Beijing Olympics with a touch of bittersweetness

By DAVE SKRETTA
AP Sports Writer

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The U.S. figure skating team from the Beijing Olympics will receive a gold medal now that Russian skater Kamila Valieva has been disqualified for doping. That followed a two-year investigation and a case brought to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. It will still be somewhat bittersweet for the Americans, who were denied a chance to stand atop the podium in Beijing. The case dragged out so long that ice dancers Madison Chock and Evan Bates are the only members of the nine-person squad still competing. They say their preference is to hold the medal ceremony at this year’s Paris Olympics.