Cross-country skiing national coach Peter Schlickenrieder was severely punished for providing illegal assistance to his runners in the Tour de Ski pursuit competition on Thursday (January 4, 2024) in Davos. The jury sentenced the 53-year-old to a fine of 1,000 Swiss francs (equivalent to 1,070 euros) and, above all, to withdraw his accreditation until the end of the stage race on Sunday.
Skis placed in the track
According to his own statement, Schlickenrieder put a ski in the track in difficult conditions with sometimes heavy snow. His athletes should run over it, “so they can get rid of the cleats that have formed because the aggressive snow has stuck”. This was a violation of the rules, he admitted: “Of course I accepted the punishment, even if it was a bit harsh.”
According to Schlickenrieder, if his runners around Katharina Hennig, who had to struggle hard to finish ninth on Thursday, had put a ski under the waxed racing skis to wipe off the snow lumps, that would have been in accordance with the rules: “But everything that benefits the athlete has to be done by him himself; it can’t be done by a third party.”
Schlickenrieder will therefore not be able to look after his athletes on the route on Saturday and Sunday during the crucial tour stages in Val di Fiemme.