The reason the medals have not been awarded is the high-profile doping scandal involving Russian figure skating star Kamila Valieva.
During the Olympics in Beijing, Russia won gold in the team competition. USA took silver and Japan bronze. But the International Olympic Committee decided not to award the medals until the case of 15-year-old Kamila Valieva, who led the Russian team to gold, had been investigated.
Figure skater Evan Bates, who was on the American team, is disappointed with the outcome.
— The biggest disappointment is that the moment is gone and cannot be replaced. I’m really proud of how we in the American team have gotten through these twelve months, he says.
This is the first time in Olympic history that the medals have not been awarded.