In addition, a maximum of two places will be awarded to nations that have athletes among the top 30 in the world rankings. The remaining starting places are filled using the “allocation list”, for women there are 62, for men only 45. “79 places as a base quota and 45 for the best of the best is an absolute mismatch. The system blew up in our ears, gender equality makes it even worse because you no longer have any leeway“, said ÖSV sports director Anton Giger. Especially since some small races like in Dubai or in Liechtenstein took place this season.
“Malbun Exotic Nations Cup” in the focus of the ÖSV
One of them: the Malbun Exotic Nations Cup in Liechtenstein. While the world elite of the alpine ski circuit fell down the Lauberhorn in Wengen on January 13th and were also fighting for qualification for the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing, the competition was taking place 130 kilometers away, which was only to come into focus as a result of this dispute.
The Jamaican and Cape Verde Ski Associations had invited to their national championships – and very few athletes came. Suspiciously a little like that ÖSV finds. “Normally we don’t pay too much attention to races like this, but when it’s the case that a few of the best have to stay at home because the base odds are being used more, it’s a serious issue“, says Giger.
Corona pandemic ensures low number of participants
Nadine Zürcher, President of the Organizing Committee of the competition, explains the low number of participants in the Malbun Exotic Nations Cup with the Corona pandemic: “Originally 27 racers were registered. Before the first Team Captains Meeting, more than 25 foreigners were on the list of participants, in accordance with the rules”
“Unfortunately, many of the athletes had difficulties entering the country and some tested positive for Covid-19, making participation in the 2G+ races impossible. This has drastically reduced the number of participating athletes“, said Zürcher of the sports show.
Lots of underdogs and an old friend
In the end, only ten ski racers started with the dream of the Olympics: including Yassine Aouich from Morocco, who had promised his son that he would make it to Beijing. Abdi Fayik from Saudi Arabia, who learned to ski as a child in Lebanon and now wants to make winter sports more popular in his country.
The 62-year-old Hubertus von Hohenlohe from Mexico, who wanted to make his seventh Olympic appearance clear. And Carlos Mäder, who grew up in Switzerland and is competing for his country of birth, Ghana.
Striedinger: Nine ÖSV starting places “a huge scandal”
It is these men who secured important points for the Olympic qualification in Liechtenstein and thus made world stars from Germany, France and Austria – at least for the time being – in dispute for Olympic places.
“It is about the participation and inclusion of smaller or exotic nations. Our country is also not one of the big nations, although measured in terms of the number of Olympic medals per inhabitant, we would be the most successful association.”, explains Zürcher why this competition was held in Malbun and why she thinks such events are important.
Zurich: According to the FIS, the race conforms to the rules
But it’s about more than the changed qualification mode – it’s also about the question of whether there was actually manipulation of the race results. These are also subject to the ÖSV. Sports director Anton Giger called for several races to be canceled, with the competition in Liechtenstein being a particular focus. “The experts agree that things couldn’t have gone right“Giger told the APA press agency.
Zürcher says that the allegations of manipulation are not directed against the organizers. “However, the ÖSV assured us that the accusations were not directed against the LSV or Liechtenstein, but against individual drivers who, in his opinion, had deliberately slowed down during the races so that others could qualify“, explains Zürcher. And also von Hohenlohe, the 62-year-old Mexican starter dismisses the allegations as absurd in the Austrian daily newspaper “Standard”: “These races were completely normal. I don’t know why Mr. Giger believes that a race can be simulated in Liechtenstein. It was extremely demanding. On the steep slope I thought I was in Adelboden.“
FIS examines qualifying competitions
On the other hand, when asked by a sports show, the World Ski Federation confirmed ongoing investigations into some qualifying events for the Olympic Winter Games in Beijing. Since these were not completed before the official nomination deadline (Monday, January 24th), the IOC “in the interests of all affected athletes” applied for an extension of the starting field. The IOC released four more places and demanded a review of the qualification system.
Even underdogs can hope for a start
Aouich, Favik, von Hohenlohe and Mäder can also breathe a sigh of relief for the time being due to the new allocation of starting places, they are on the official starting place list of alpine ski racers. The result of the FIS investigations remains to be seen.
Status: 01/25/2022, 12:00 p.m