Alpine skiing: Hirscher: Luitz disqualification would be “insanity”

Stefan Luitz threatens to lose his RTL victory of Beaver Creek because of the oxygen causa. His competitors feel the same way after the faux pas with the German.

“I’m sorry for Stefan,” said the stag second behind Luitz. “As an athlete, you rely on what the coaches, doctors and responsible persons say,” the Austrian explained to Ö3 in France. If Stefan had known this, he would certainly not have done it before others,” Hirscher was convinced. A disqualification would be “madness” for Luitz in any case.

Hirscher referred to the fact that Luitz had been following this first World Cup victory for so long. “He has so often failed so narrowly. But Stefan is unstoppable and one of the strongest in the giant slalom. On Saturday he will be one of the favourites again”, the seven-time overall World Cup winner is convinced. He doesn’t take oxygen himself. “It’s not clear if it’ll do any good.”

Luitz’ compatriot Felix Neureuther took the DSV responsible persons in the duty. “Should there be anything, those who have decided must be called to account and not Stefan,” said the German. Neureuther returns to Val d’Isere with a plastic splint after a thumb injury. He’s thinking about trying the slalom on Sunday, too. “But I don’t know yet whether it works,” said Neureuther, who had been absent from Beaver Creek due to injury.

Luitz himself said: “I am not aware of any guilt and thought it was allowed. I wouldn’t quite understand a disqualification. It wouldn’t be a decision in the sporting sense.” Regarding the giant slalom on Saturday the German said: “It would be nice, if the victory is taken away from me, to be able to secure my first World Cup victory tomorrow”.