Estonian figure skating coach Raimo Reinsalu has been removed from the Milan–Cortina Winter Olympics coaching bench while international officials investigate allegations of physical and psychological abuse involving a former skater. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) denied his last-minute appeal on Thursday, maintaining a provisional suspension and preventing him from coaching the Lithuanian skater he was scheduled to work with ahead of the women’s singles event.
CAS Keeps Provisional Ban in Place
CAS dismissed Reinsalu’s emergency request to get his Olympic accreditation back and confirmed that the provisional suspension will remain in force "whilst the ISU investigates the matter and until a final decision is rendered," according to ESPN. The arbitration body stressed that the temporary measure "is not to imply any presumption of guilt, but to safeguard the integrity of the sport." In other words, this is a holding pattern, not a verdict.
Lithuania Pulls Coach From Olympic Delegation
The Lithuanian Olympic team removed Reinsalu from its official delegation and suspended his accreditation after the International Skating Union (ISU) recommended an immediate ban, according to ERR. Officials told the outlet they consulted the athlete and her family before acting. They also noted that skater Variakojyt17 herself had not filed a complaint.
Abuse Allegations That Triggered the Investigation
The suspension stems from public accusations by Latvian skater Sofja Stepcenko. She told figure-skating outlet Anything GOEs that Reinsalu and another coach pressured her to compete while injured and pushed extreme weight-loss practices that she says led to eating disorders and self-harm, as reported by Anything GOEs. The outlet also reported that Latvian police opened an investigation into the coaching team and that the ISU launched its own probe.
Coach Says Ban Hurts His Career and His Skater
In his appeal to CAS, Reinsalu argued that being shut out of the Games causes "irreparable harm to his professional reputation and adversely affects the athlete he coaches," according to The Straits Times. For now, CAS has decided that protecting the process takes priority, leaving the temporary suspension in place while the ISU finishes its disciplinary review.
Legal Fallout Could Extend Beyond the Rink
In addition to possible sporting sanctions, national authorities have been reported to be reviewing criminal complaints that could create separate legal exposure for Reinsalu, ERR reported. CAS has been clear that its ruling is provisional and that any final determination on whether Reinsalu committed wrongdoing will depend on the outcome of the ISU’s investigation and any national inquiries that follow.
