Protest filed and declined in women’s skeleton race over legality of Williams’ helmet

Protest filed, declined in women’s skeleton race

WHISTLER, British Columbia — Skeleton’s international governing body ruled late Thursday night that British racer and Olympic leader Amy Williams’ helmet is legal, shooting down a protest filed by the U.S. team and supported by representatives from five other nations.

According to the protest, details of which were released to The Associated Press, the question revolved around whether ridges on Williams’ helmet gave her an illegal aerodynamic advantage.

International Bobsleigh and Tobogganing Federation jury president Wolfgang Strauss said the helmet’s manufacturer confirmed that the ridges, or spoilers, “are an integral part of the helmet.” Therefore, by FIBT rule, the helmet — which also made it through a standard pre-race check — was deemed legal for racing.

Williams was a surprise leader at the midway point of the women’s competition, 0.30 seconds ahead of Germany’s Kerstin Szymkowiak. Williams, who did not win a medal on the World Cup tour this season, posted two of the three fastest times in Thursday’s heats at the Whistler Sliding Center.

“We can run races throughout the season by a strict rulebook,” U.S. assistant skeleton coach Greg Sand told the AP. “And at the Olympic Games something blatant like this and out in the open will be overlooked.”

Other nations involved in filing the protest including sliding powerhouse Germany and host Canada. Only one nation, by FIBT rule, can actually sign the protest document and pay the $100 filing fee.

“We were always entirely comfortable that we had the documentation that was needed to show the helmet was legal,” said British press attache Adam Parsons.

Williams was not aware of the protest Thursday night, Parsons said. It was filed long after she left the track.

(This version CORRECTS 4th paragraph to show Williams did not medal on tour this season.)