Megan Henry finished just 12 points behind Kelly Curtis in the battle for a place in the US women's skeleton team at Beijing 2022 ©Getty Images

American racer Megan Henry’s bid to secure a place in the women’s skeleton competition at the Winter Olympics here has been dashed after her appeal was dismissed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) Ad Hoc Division.

Katie Tannenbaum of the United States Virgin Islands was awarded the final quota spot for Beijing 2022 following the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) reallocation process.

Henry is ranked 34 places higher than Tannenbaum in the IBSF standings but finished narrowly behind Katie Uhlaender and Kelly Curtis in the battle for the US’ two spots in the women’s skeleton team.

Curtis finished one place and 12 points ahead of Henry in 14th position as the 34-year-old agonisingly missed out on a spot.

Had the original qualification formula been used, Henry contends that the US would instead have had three quota places and she would have a ticket to Beijing 2022.

The IBSF qualification rules, which were revised in September 2021, state that an athletes' ranking is based on their best seven results in the 2021-2022 World Cup season whereas under the previous eligibility criteria points earned during the 2020-2021 campaign were included.


Henry failed in an appeal to the IBSF Appeals Tribunal before Henry lodged an application to the CAS Ad Hoc Division in Beijing in the hope of sealing her spot.

However, the CAS Ad Hoc Division’s panel of arbitrators turned down Henry’s appeal, ruling that the US "already had two athletes allocated, which filled the number of places allocated to this NOC [National Olympic Committee]."

Tannenbaum is ranked outside the top 45 but with Sweden - who were considered for reallocation - not taking up the offer she secured the last quota spot for Beijing 2022.

The CAS added that it declined to reverse the decision of the IBSF Appeals Tribunal, allocating the last remaining quota place to US Virgin Islands' slider Tannenbaum.

The 36-year-old is set to compete at her first Winter Olympics after failing in an appeal to the CAS Ad Hoc Division prior to Pyeongchang 2018.

The skeleton competitions are due to take place from February 10 to 12 at the Xiaohaituo Bobsleigh and Luge Track in Yanqing District.