Should Lindsey Vonn be allowed to compete in a men’s downhill race in the Alpine Ski World Cup next year?Clearly no, when it comes to the Austrian ladies and gentlemen.
“When it starts in Lake Louise, the FIS World Cup will turn into a bit of a Punch and Judy theatre,”said Hannes Reichelt in the direction of the FIS World Cup, who wants to clarify this perhaps historically significant question in May 2018.
The US American Ski Federation has submitted a motion to the FIS Autumn Meeting in Zurich that will allow Vonn to make a one-off attempt to contest the men’s downhill race in Lake Louise in 2018.On the route in Banff National Park in Canada, 33-year-old Vonn is considered by the ladies to be almost unbeatable, hence the nickname “Lake Lindsey”.At the recent FIS Congress, it was decided to decide on this proposal at the next meeting in May.
“If the FIS allows this, then you have to seriously question the FIS,”Reichelt made his position clear.This means that a selective comparison of the sexes would not bring anything to either the Ski World Cup or the women’s movement,”because then you will be able to abolish women’s sport immediately,”said the Salzburg athlete’s representative.
His ÖSV colleagues also insist on strict gender segregation, which is practiced almost everywhere in sport.The most prominent exceptions are equestrian sports, motorsport and long-distance sailing, special cases such as mixed and dance competitions are not included “In my opinion, you should stay where you are.I’ll never say I’d like to go with the gentlemen,”Cornelia Hütter said recently at a media event in Salzburg.
“It’s not about whether I would like to do it,”explained her Austrian speed competitor Stephanie Venier,”men are men, women are women.I’m not allowed to play as a lady in Bavaria, even if there’s a football match in the men’s team,”said the current downhill runner-up world champion.
“We have our own race at Lake Louise,”said Anna Veith.For Vonn Vonn, in reality, it’s not about a sporting comparison, but purely about advertising on her own behalf:”She can, as a forerunner, shut down at any departure where she wants to, where the gentlemen want to start.No one banned her.Why doesn’t she do it when she wants to?”, Veith asked and gave the following answer herself:”She wants to be seen.”
Ramona Siebenhofer agreed:”She wants to attract a lot of attention” The statement of ÖSV President Peter Schröcksnadel, who meant that if there was a fight between the sexes, then on a more demanding track, was signed by all those surveyed:”It is, I think, the easiest men’s race,” said Siebenhofer.”If she wants a real comparison, she should be in Bormio.
However, I am now very happy that this is postponed to the spring “The World Cup is not an experimental field for the 37-year-old.If Vonn is seriously interested in competing with men,”her sponsor must organise an invitation race and hope that some top runners will come”.
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According to Reichelt, a Skype conference of athletes’ spokespersons from several FIS sports brought out one hundred percent agreement:”Ultimately, the ladies also said that they didn’t find it right there:” Even a questioning of all alpine athletes about the matter can be imagined,”he says,” There is always a questionnaire in spring that we send out, afterwards there is at least one opinion on the matter, according to Reich.