Gut-Behrami fears the fluorowax ban will allow the worst to happen: “Maybe others screwed up?”

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Lara Gut-Behrami (32) is not one to beat around the bush. “Maybe the service people should sleep in the room with their skis,” she says. What sounds funny has a serious background. Because: Since the FIS banned fluorinated substances, there has been a fear of sabotage when skiing. “Someone could contaminate their skis with a fluorine spray as they walk by,” says the Ticino resident.

There are many more uncertainties surrounding the new rule. There have long been doubts as to whether the FIS test equipment is actually beyond doubt. During the testing phase it happened that they glowed red on new ski bases that were guaranteed never to have come into contact with fluorine. Red? This would be the signal that a ski exceeds the fluorine limit of 0.99 – the rider would be disqualified.

FIS increases the limit from 1.0 to 1.8

A few hours before the season opener in Sölden, there is intense debate in the Ötztal about the fluorine issue. The FIS apparently assures them that the testing equipment is flawless. At the same time, there is a rumor going around that the tolerance value has been increased to 1.8. Alpine director Hans Flatscher has also heard of it. «If the devices could measure correctly: why is the permitted value not even 0.0 or at least slightly higher? The devices are probably not reliable enough.”

Blick asks the FIS whether the rumors about raising the limit to 1.8 are actually true. The answer follows on Thursday, shortly before 10 p.m.: “The threshold for ski testing in the target area is 1.8 until December 31. For skis checked before the race, it remains at 1.0. After December 31 it is always 1.0.” Before the race? These tests are voluntary and take place one day before the start.

“The pressure on service people is increasing”

Back to Gut-Behrami. She talks about the topic for 8 minutes and 40 seconds. Because she is asked about it again and again, of course – but also because it clearly concerns her. She has nothing against the ban, she emphasizes that time and time again. Classification: According to expertise, various fluorine compounds are not degradable and can therefore cause minor damage to people and the environment.

“But there is a lot of uncertainty for us. The pressure on service people is increasing. Because if I ski a good descent, but only lose half a second, what should the service guy say? I didn’t screw up, but maybe others did? I don’t go to my service technician and say, “Try it!” But if I think every time that maybe it’s because the others are still using it, that wouldn’t be good.’

Code of honor? Gut-Behrami doesn’t believe it

There are still many questions unanswered. For example, does fluorine actually break down significantly after just 15 seconds of driving, as some people assume? Could it be possible for clean skis to become contaminated while skiing on fluoride-containing snow? Are everyone’s skis checked in speed competitions, but only those of selected athletes in technical competitions?

Gut-Behrami does not believe in a code of honor that prevents cheating. Why? If there is no tampering involved, you can at least try to explore the fluorine limit to gain an advantage. Gut-Behrami explains that in downhill tests in Zermatt USA, the skis with fluorine were between six-tenths and a second faster than the skis without. Flatscher cannot confirm this.

He sees the solution to the problem in a broader context: fluorinated waxes should be banned everywhere. That is currently not the case, any amateur skier can put it on their skis. “It only goes through the legal level. Either everyone or no one. If you cheat, you are committing a criminal offense – and no one would want that.”

Rast: “That doesn’t make sense”

Nowadays, a World Cup skier who has too much fluorine on his skis would have nothing to worry about. He would be disqualified, but nothing more. The ski companies and associations would also not be punished. This would provide an incentive, especially for weaker athletes and their teams, to cheat.

Swiss technician Camille Rast (24) says: “If someone has starting number 50 or 60 during a descent, he or she can say to themselves: I’m going to try fluorine. Maybe there is no disqualification.” For the Valais woman it is clear: “That doesn’t make sense.”

Chaos? “We already have it”

At the same time, Gut-Behrami would like the opportunity to compete under red lights. “Just like a B sample in a doping case,” she says. The FIS does not intend to do so either – or at least does not communicate it.

The system is not yet fully developed, says Gut-Behrami. No fewer than 30 top athletes wrote a letter to the FIS to make this clear. “Several associations, including us, also expressed their concerns during the FIS autumn meeting. “The discussion did not come out of the blue,” says Flatscher. His concern is the same as that of Gut-Behrami: “We want fair sport. That is the most important thing.”

Is there a danger of chaos now? Rast: “We already have that. There are many rumors, but unfortunately not enough official information.”

Source : Blick