Geneva (AP) — Nine days after the race at the Beijing Olympics, the bronze medal for the women’s ski cross was changed at the appeal on Saturday.
The International Ski Federation (FIS) said in a statement that Switzerland’s Fanny Smith will win the bronze medal after being mistakenly demoted to fourth place in China.
Smith was accused of contacting other skiers during the race on February 17, and finished third by a jury trial decision at the FIS race. Daniela Maier of Germany has been upgraded from the 4th to get the bronze she is currently losing.
The jury’s decision was wrong, FIS said after an appeal by Smith and the Swiss Ski Association.
“The Appeal Commission has discovered that the racers are in close proximity at that time, resulting in actions that are neither intentional nor unavoidable,” FIS said.
Therefore, Smith should have issued a warning rather than a yellow card decision demanding demotion.
The incident did not affect Swedish gold medalist Sandra Näsland and Canadian silver medalist Marielle Thompson.
The appeal verdict is now giving former World Champion Smith the Olympic bronze medal at the consecutive Winter Olympics.
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