'What a joke': Skier stripped of medal in Winter Olympics 'disgrace'
The Winter Olympics community was left raging on Thursday when Swiss skier Fanny Smith was stripped of a bronze medal in controversial fashion in the ski-cross.
Smith was yellow carded in the gold-medal race after making what judges deemed to be intentional contact with Germany's Daniela Maier as they raced towards the finish.
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The pair collided and Smith crossed the line in third ahead of Maier, with the Swiss skier believing she'd won bronze.
But after a lengthy review from officials, the Swiss was eventually classified as "ranked as last in their heat" - the equivalent of disqualification.
Smith reportedly asked officials after the decision was handed down: “Who is the f***ing judge? This is a joke!
“This wasn’t on purpose! My ski was on the edge. Does this judge know how to ski? They have no idea.”
Swiss head coach Ralph Pfaeffli said the 29-year-old Smith was too distraught to speak to reporters after the race, but said he believed the contact was "clearly incidental and not intentional".
"They say she kicks sideways to slow down Daniela Maier but no ski cross competitors would ever try to side-kick while riding on rollers or over jumps into another person," said Pfaeffli.
"That's a complete misunderstanding."
Pfaeffli said the Swiss team were considering appealing but believed "the result will never change".
Maier said she would need to watch a replay, but had nothing but sympathy for Smith.
"I'm really sorry for Fanny because it's always a weird feeling," she said.
"What really happened, I don't know. I just saw that Fanny had more speed than Marielle and she had to decide where to go - then I am losing my balance."
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Commentator Ian Findlasaid: “That is a huge shame for Smith. I’m not sure about it but that is ski cross racing.
"Neslund is the winner here. She takes the gold medal. Thompson will take silver and Maier a surprise bronze medal.
“Smith with that little move before the final jump caused a destabilisation to Maier. It’s relegated Smith.
"The result will stand but Neslund is the Olympic gold medallist at Beijing 2022.”
British athlete Emily Sarsfield wrote: "Totally shocked at that call in the Olympic Ski Cross final. Fanny Smith deserved that bronze medal.
"There was nothing intentional in that move just avoiding landing on Marielle!"
Fans and commentators were also blowing up on social media.
Totally shocked at that call in the Olympic Ski Cross final… @SmithFanny deserved that bronze medal … there was nothing intentional in that move just avoiding landing on Marielle! #skicross #fannysmith
— Emily Sarsfield (@EmSkiCross) February 17, 2022
Huge controversy in the women's ski cross final with Switzerland's Fanny Smith stripped of the bronze medal for an incident in the race.
Germany's Daniela Maier, who will now receive the bronze medal, almost looks as if she doesn't want it and is shocked it's hers.#Beijing2022— Lachlan McKirdy (@LMcKirdy7) February 17, 2022
DRAMA!!
All three Skiers looks so confused as to why 🇨🇭Fanny Smith was DQ'd...
Even 🇨🇦Marielle Thompson thought she was going to be the one DQ'd and lose Silver.
What the?#TeamCanada #CrossCountrySkiing #Beijing2022— Jacob Pacheco (@JacobPacheco6) February 17, 2022
@ Olympics You guys should be ashamed to disqualify Fanny Smith! What a joke of a decision. Fanny Smith was pushed as well by the Canadian athlete and you said NOTHING! Shame on you! This is NOT sport! This is corruption!
— Marc Bella (@MarcBella6) February 17, 2022
Fanny Smith was absolutely robbed in the Ski Cross final she deserved that bronze medal a joke from the judges #FreestyleSkiing
— ᴊᴀᴍɪᴇ 🇮🇹 (@sanomistan) February 17, 2022
La journée avait pourtant tellement bien commencé, plus de restrictions COVID en Suisse, doublé olympique en combiné.. mais a le jury décidé de voler la médaille de bronze à Fanny Smith… DISGRACE !!!
— Lozza 🇨🇭🇵🇭 (@noichilozza) February 17, 2022
Hey @Olympics, that should be a mistake from @fisalpine, to be fixed this way #fannysmith pic.twitter.com/RmW1TlGM8x
— Fred Blanc (@fred_blanc) February 17, 2022
Congrats to Naeslund!. What was Fanny Smith’s alternative? Incomprehensible decision pic.twitter.com/H1OeXcdrZ7
— Phil Walker (@IamPhilWalker) February 17, 2022
Terrible decision imo.
Fanny Smith did nothing wrong. She either spreads her skis out, or drives over the Canadian. She chose to race clean (and not contact the Canadian) and get punished for it. I am puzzled.— Robert Parks (@robertparks247) February 17, 2022
with agencies
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