CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy, Feb 4 : British officials have appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against a ban on a new helmet design for skeleton athletes that the sport’s governing body has ruled illegal.
The International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) ruled last week that the helmet did not comply with its competition rules based on its shape.
The British Bobsleigh and Skeleton Association (BBSA), which funded the design and manufacture of the helmet, says it meets “rigorous safety standards” and is safer than other helmets in use, and has asked CAS to rule that it is legal.
CAS’ ad-hoc Olympic division said on Wednesday it would hear the case on Thursday. The skeleton competition starts on February 12.
Britain has a strong Olympic tradition in skeleton, with three gold medals in the women’s event and boasts the double world champion and gold medal favourite in the men’s at Cortina in the shape of Matt Weston.
