Berlin – Daniela Maier had just reoriented after the canceled Ski Cross World Cup in Russia when she found out that she was no longer an Olympic medalist. “To be honest, I’m surprised by the new situation,” said the ski crosser after the decision of the World Ski Federation (FIS) to withdraw the bronze medal she had won in Beijing. In addition, according to Maier, she was “excited to see what will happen now”. She will examine all legal means with the German Ski Association (DSV) and the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB).
In any case, her third place, which she was awarded by the race jury after the emotional finale in the Genting Snowpark after video evidence, is gone for the time being. The Fis Appeal Committee upheld a protest by the Swiss Ski Association, Swiss Ski, meaning that the medal went to the Swiss Fanny Smith. After the final, Maier was initially downgraded to fourth place due to a disability.
The DSV is examining legal steps
The DSV does not want to leave the decision of the Fis and fight for Maier. “We will examine all legal steps in coordination with the DOSB,” said DSV President Franz Steinle. The DSV would probably go all the way to the International Sports Court.
What happens to the bronze medal is ultimately in the hands of the International Olympic Committee. The IOC has already announced that it will examine the case when all Fis-level processes have ended. An award of two bronze medals is also conceivable.
According to its own statements, the Fis Appeal Committee examined the video recordings of the race for four hours over a period of hours and also checked written recordings. Originally, an action by Smith shortly before the goal was subsequently punished as a handicap for Maier with a yellow card – after lengthy deliberations, she was put back in fourth place.
Fis speaks of contact in normal racing events
Shortly before the finish, Smith clearly got into Maier’s skiing line with her left ski and thus obstructed the German – but the Fis now rated this as a contact in normal racing events, “which could not be prevented” and therefore only one “Official warning” should have followed.
“Of course I’m relieved about this decision,” Smith is quoted as saying in a statement from Swiss Ski. She was always convinced “that I didn’t make a mistake. At the same time, it hurts me for Daniela Maier, who is now suffering from the situation.”
In fact, after crossing the finish line, Maier did not consider the situation in question to be punishable for her competitor. “No, no, no, no, no,” she exclaimed during the minute-long review of the scene by the race jury, shaking her head over and over again: “It was just normal ski cross.”