Olympic Women's Figure Skating Podium Delivers Redemption

Four years after the 2022 Beijing scandal, the 2026 Milan Olympics saw a triumphant return to form for the sport.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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The 2026 Olympic women's figure skating final marked a dramatic turnaround from the controversy of the 2022 Beijing Games. Where the 2022 event was marred by a doping scandal involving 15-year-old Russian skater Kamila Valieva, the 2026 podium featured a redemptive trio of skaters who each responded to the 2022 fallout in their own way. Gold medalist Alysa Liu of the U.S. left the sport after 2022 but returned on her own terms, while silver medalist Kaori Sakamoto of Japan spent the last four years working to improve the sport's culture, and bronze medalist Ami Nakai of Japan, at just 17 years old, represents the bright future of women's figure skating.

Why it matters

The 2022 Beijing figure skating scandal threatened to irreparably damage the sport, but the 2026 Milan Olympics showed that women's figure skating has the resilience to bounce back. The diverse, inspiring medalists demonstrate how the sport can move past its recent troubles and rebuild trust with fans and athletes alike.

The details

In 2022, 15-year-old Russian skater Kamila Valieva was at the center of a doping scandal that cast a pall over the women's figure skating competition in Beijing. Valieva fell twice in her long program and finished fourth, while her teammates Alexandra Trusova and Anna Shcherbakova took silver and gold respectively, but the mood was anything but celebratory. Trusova was distraught, screaming that she hated the sport, while Shcherbakova sat alone, seemingly disassociated from the horror unfolding around her.

  • The 2022 Olympic women's figure skating competition took place in Beijing, China.
  • The 2026 Olympic women's figure skating competition took place in Milan, Italy.

The players

Kamila Valieva

A 15-year-old Russian figure skater who was at the center of a doping scandal at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.

Alexandra Trusova

A Russian figure skater who won silver at the 2022 Beijing Olympics but was distraught, screaming that she hated the sport.

Anna Shcherbakova

A Russian figure skater who won gold at the 2022 Beijing Olympics but appeared disassociated from the controversy surrounding the event.

Alysa Liu

The American figure skater who won gold at the 2026 Milan Olympics, having left the sport after 2022 but returned on her own terms.

Kaori Sakamoto

The Japanese figure skater who won silver at the 2026 Milan Olympics and spent the last four years working to improve the sport's culture.

Ami Nakai

The 17-year-old Japanese figure skater who won bronze at the 2026 Milan Olympics, representing the bright future of the sport.

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What they’re saying

“I hate skating. I hate it. I hate this sport. I will never skate again. Never.”

— Alexandra Trusova

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, Grocery Employee (Instagram)

What’s next

The International Skating Union is expected to implement new anti-doping measures and athlete welfare initiatives to prevent a similar scandal from occurring in the future.

The takeaway

The 2026 Olympic women's figure skating podium represented a triumphant return to form for the sport, with a diverse group of skaters who each responded to the 2022 controversy in their own way. Their stories of resilience, redemption, and hope for the future have renewed faith in the future of women's figure skating.