The 2022 Winter Olympic games in Beijing, China is winding down with just a couple more days of competition remaining.

The recent controversy over 15 year old Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva has sparked the conversation over whether the Olympics should change the age of eligibility for competition to at least 16.

Under current rules involving the World Anti-Doping Agency considers an athlete under the age of 16 as a “protected person” who may not know what they are doing; pushing the responsibility and accountability to the “adults in the room” – ie, coaches, trainers, etc.

Currently the IOC does not have an age limit for competition; but some of the specific sports do have age requirements lie alpine skiing where skiers must be at least 17 years old and in the biathlon competitors must be 22 to compete. In gymnastics, a sport that also features teen performers, has a minimum age of 16 in order to compete.

While the controversy continues on the ice with the women’s events; Chinese pair skaters Sui Wenjing and Han Cong set a new world record with their short program when they scored 84.41 points. The duo also held the old record of 82.83 points.

In the men’s 15k mass start biathlon event, Norwegian Johannes Thingnes Boe dominated the event to win the gold medal.

In the women’s 12.5k mass start biathlon event, France’s Justine Braisaz-Bouchet took the gold medal. She was carrying a French flag as she crossed the finish line.

In the men’s curling event, Canada beat out the United States for the bronze medal.

Sweden and Great Britain will battle it out for the gold medal on Saturday.

In the men’s freestyle skiing skicross, Ryan Regez of Switzerland beat out team mate Alex Fiva for the gold.

In the women’s ski halfpipe American born Chinese skier Eileen Gu earned the gold medal; making her the first action-sports competitor to win three medals in the same Olympics. She will take home two golds and a silver once the games are over.


In the men’s 1,000 meter speedskating event, Dutch skater Thomas Krol won the gold. The win give the Netherlands gold in three straight winter Olympic games. So far, the Netherlands have won five of the 12 gold medals.

Earning five medals in a single day, Norway becomes the first country to top the 30 medal mark with 34. Norway also holds the gold medal lead with 15.

2022 Beijing Olympics February 18 medal count:
Norway – 34
ROC – Russian Olympic Committee – 27
Canada – 24
Germany – 22
United States – 21
Austria – 17
Japan – 17
Italy – 16
Sweden – 16
Netherlands – 16
People’s Republic of China – 14
France – 14
Switzerland – 14
Slovenia – 7
Republic of Korea – 7
Finland – 6
Australia – 4
Hungary – 3
Czech Republic – 2
Belarus – 2
New Zealand – 2
Poland – 1
Slovakia – 1
Spain – 1
Latvia – 1
Poland – 1
Belgium – 1
Estonia – 1
Ukraine – 1