IOC to boot Vanessa-Mae retroactively

IOC to boot Vanessa-Mae retroactively

Thai skiier's name to be erased from '14 games if cheating charges confirmed

BERLIN — Speaking of possibly "a shocking picture," star violinist Vanessa-Mae will be retroactively kicked out the 2014 Olympics if qualifying ski races she participated in are confirmed to have been rigged, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach said.

Vanessa-Mae was banned for four years by the ruling ski body FIS over manipulated race results in Slovenia that allowed her to compete for Thailand at the Sochi Games in February. She said through her management the sanctions were "nonsense," and that she would appeal before the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

A file picture of Vanessa-Mae of Team Thailand entering the stadium during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games at the Fisht Olympic Stadium, Sochi, Russia Feb 7. (EPA photo)

Bach, in an interview with Germany's Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung made available ahead of Thursday's publication, said that if confirmed "a manipulation to such an extent would be a shocking picture."

The IOC however can only sanction athletes at Olympics, as Bach said "she would be excluded from the Olympic Games retroactively, and her name erased from the list of participants."

However, "the four-year ban by the International ski federation would deny her a future in the sport" as it makes her ineligible for the next Olympics 2018 in Pyeongchang.

Bach added he has so far not considered also scrapping Vanessa-Mae from the culture working group of the Olympic Agenda 2020 programme, but added she had not taken part in group meetings.

She competed in the giant slalom at the Sochi Winter Games as Vanessa Vanankorn, finishing last of the 67 racers in an event won by Slovenia's Tina Maze.

Vanessa-Mae, who has dual British-Thai nationality, chose to represent Thailand, competing under her Thai father's surname Vanakorn.

Do you like the content of this article?
COMMENT (1)