Team GB skeleton suit cleared by Winter Olympics officials after American team join protests

Fast show: Laura Deas takes to the ice in one of the suits that has caused controversy
REUTERS

A row has broken out over the cutting-edge skinsuits worn by Lizzy Yarnold and the rest of the British skeleton team here at the Winter Olympics.

Official protests have been lodged by rival teams questioning the legality of the suits being used at the competition, which starts with the men’s event on Thursday.

Yarnold, after finishing third fastest in qualifying on Wednesday, insisted “all kit is cleared with the jury ahead of competition” while Team GB officials are adamant there has been no wrongdoing.

That stance was backed by the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation this morning and a spokesperson said: “The IBSF checked the race suits of the British skeleton team. There were no rule violations.”

American athlete Katie Uhlaender and USA bobsled and skeleton chief executive Darrin Steele are among those to complain.

Under IBSF rules, no aerodynamic elements may be attached to the suits. The kit has been designed by Northampton firm TotalSim using the same technology as for the outfits worn by Britain’s cyclists at the 2016 Olympics in Rio, where the team swept the board.

Scientists in conjunction with the English Institute of Sport have

developed drag-resistant ridges on the kit to reduce wind resistance.

The British team’s lawyer has been in close contact with officials at the Games, and a Team GB spokesperson said: “We are confident all competition equipment meets the technical and commercial requirements for every sport and discipline. We do not comment on specific technical aspects of equipment prior to competition.”

In Pictures | PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games: Skeleton

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Uhlaender, one of the leading rivals to defending champion Yarnold and fellow Briton Laura Deas, hit out at Team GB.

“I’m not a scientist, I just know that I was trying to get a suit of the same quality and I was told that it was illegal, and now it’s legal,” said the American. “I just want to know then can the rest of us then do the same thing?”

Uhlaender then said she was also unhappy with Team GB’s kit at the Vancouver Olympics where Britain’s Amy Williams won gold.

“It’s kind of like Amy’s helmet in 2010,” she said. “Amy is one of my best friends and I have the utmost respect for her — I couldn’t have been more proud when she won — but in my opinion that helmet was illegal based on what I saw in the rules.”

Meanwhile, USA bobsled and skeleton chief Steele suggested the initial story about the suits and the ensuing row had been planted by the British team.

He said: “Athletes from various nations are talking about the British suits instead of focusing on the upcoming races.

“A large part of this sport is mental strength. It’s about who can throw down despite distractions, and we’ll see who comes out on top over these next few days. The timing of the article was perfect and a smart strategic move by the British team.”

The suits have clearly given the British team an advantage. Deas and Yarnold have struggled to get near the podium this season but again in training on Wednesday were among the quickest athletes with Yarnold finishing third in a time of 52.48 seconds.

Meanwhile Dom Parsons has moved from 12th in the world this season to a potential Olympic champion. He has been quickest in two of the practice runs and if he continues with that form he could become Britain’s first medallist of the Games when his event concludes on Friday.

The fourth member of the team, Jerry Rice, hit back at suggestions of wrongdoing.

He said: “It doesn’t bother me. People can speculate as much as they like. The fact is the British guys are fast because we’re good at sliding, no other reason. We’re innovators, we do everything we can to be as fast as we can be. Dom, Lizzy and Laura are all showing it and I’m doing my best to show it as well. That’s why we’re quick.

“We are just concentrating on ourselves. That’s always been the way we work on our team. We’ve always been a team with quality over quantity, we just make sure we do everything good and as long as we’re doing that, what will be, will be.”It still feels like a stretch to suggest Tottenham could win the Champions League. But the distance to lifting a trophy of some form is shortening all the time.

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