Amy Williams Helmet Controversy: Skeleton Athlete Cleared to Race

Well, she got the gold, well done to Amy, she's worked hard for this.

In such a competitve environment as the Olympics, we must accept that sometimes one team will raise a flag if they feel they've lost out, and feel they have a legitimate reason for protest. As we can see here, nothing was hidden, the Governing bodies were both freely allowed to examine the helmet, and both cleared it for competition. I trust now that the matter is ended and that the sportsmanship and dignity of the Olympics will be upheld. Well done to both Amy and to Shelley, you've both been shining stars for us over in Vancouver.

her helmet contains ridges. its basically a vortex generator, like the one on mitsubishi evo's. its made to stabilize the wind as it passes over the car or in this case, her helmet. she cheated and its ridiculous how she says all the helmets are basically the same. thats completely bs. and she knows it.

I'm a Yank and I say congrats and WTG Amy! If better aerodynamic helmest are banned then maybe everyone should have to wear square helmets.

I think Amy just got the best kit she could within the rules of the sport, who wouldn't? We will see the same helmets used next time around by all I am sure :)Amy was awesome, she nailed the course and I am sure she would have done just as well wearing a helmet with beaver art instead...

Sport is improved through innovation--think of the way swimming has been changed with new materials and suit designs.  I am an American, and I agree with the reading that if the ridges are an INTEGRAL part of the design of the helmet, not added afterward, they are legal.  Next year everyone will have them, and Amy still would have won.  It's not cheating, it's being a better innovator and sporstwoman.  Congratulations, Amy, and congratulations Great Britain!

As an American, it does make me uncomfortable when some of us act, without grace, when we are not winning in a sport.  Making a complaint against someone of another country, particularly on already judged technicality, who looked to be in a position to win a medal (and who eventually did win the gold) in the hope of changing the result so one of  your own can obtain a bronze, does not appear to be in the Olympic spirit. How you play the game is as important, if not more so, than winning it - something that maybe some Americans generally should think about when they consider their belief in their exceptionalism!Do you think there would have been a complaint if Amy Williams had not been in the contention for a medal?

Taken straight out of the FIBT rulebook.10.12. Other EquipmentA. HelmetWearing of a safety helmet is mandatory.Each athlete who takes part in a FIBT Competition must wear a safety helmet approved by his/her NationalFederation.This is valid for the official training as well for the race.The chin guard and the visor are components of the helmet .A safety helmet- has to be without any additionally attached aerodynamic elements or adhesive tape (exceptthat used to fix the visor and the goggle strap) and- has to be without any spoilers and edges that stick out.

Typical Brits, they have to cheat to win. 

I've just got to post this quote from JoggerJayne on Theanswerbank.com"Gamesmanship ? From the Canadians ? The same Canadians who gave Team GB 30 practice runs on the slide, and allocated themselves 300 (!) practice runs ? The same Canadians who specifically designed a slide to be the fastest in the World, refused to allow visiting competitors to get familiar with it, leading to a Georgian competitor being killed ? Those Canadians ?"So, Rod Cameron.......would it be fair to say "typical Canadians, give themselves an unfair advantage and still can't win the women's skel bob"?. or maybe "typical Canadians, only won the men's skel bob by giving themselves an unfair advantage"? Amy's helmet was within the regs, was approved by the scrutineers, so no cheating at all, and she still won gold. She got the fastest starts and would have done that regardless. She made the smoothest runs and would have done that regardless. Despite the Canadians having far more practice on the run, they were not as good as Amy. Amy won fair and square.

It is in the best interest of sport that there be a fair and level playing field. Rules are written to to try to ensure this. . . . .

Thanks Matt K for posting the actual rules! I just checked them out too; see them for yourself:
www.fibt.com/fileadmin/Rules/Reg%20SKELETON-2009%20-%20E.pdf . . . .

The page 23-24 statement clearly states that a safety helmet "has to be without any spoilers and edges that stick out," in addition to the requirement that a safety helmet "has to be without any additionally attached aerodynamic elements." So clearly, spoilers/edges are prohibited, regardless of whether the features are integral to the helmet or not. . . . .

Given that "protests were denied by the FIBT, which ruled that the aerodynamic ridges were an integral part of Williams' helmet," clearly the official was in error, because the rules state that a safety helmet "has to be without any spoilers and edges that stick out," regardless of whether the features are integral to the helmet or not. The FIBT official clearly ought to re-read the rules. . . . .

Features like those on Ms. Williams helmet detach airflow from the trailing portion of the helmet, noticeably reducing drag, thus increasing speed, and reducing track times. The rules clearly prohibit such helmet features, and for one person to be allowed this clearly prohibited advantage is patently unfair. . . . .

Those little things aren't sticking out - they're lying down. If they were sticking out then they'd be like hedgehog spines.

Im not an American but from the pictures and what Williams had said, "All our helmet are pretty much the same." That is complete B.S. She knows what those ridges on her helmet do. If people knew what those ridges did and not talk out of their asses like they are smart maybe you would have a legitimate argument. However, those ridges are VERY obvious on her helmet and are considered a diffuser. And all that B.S. about it being an "integral part of the helmet." I think its funny how Williams was surprised when she was interviewed about her helmet. If it happened to any other nation, the same complaint would have been made. So Brits, buck up and take the criticism because we all know you are cheats.

There are some sore losers around here aren't there! Some people don't seem to understand the basic point of the sport which is to go fastest down the hill on the day. The rules are there to create a level playing field and avoid a situation like in F1 where big money almost certainly means better results. The sleds and clothing they currently use/wear are not the same as they have always been. They have evolved within the rules and where a competitor uses something outside of the rules it will be prohibited.

If its a genuine grey area that the rules don't cover or foresee then they are typically refined. Where someone designs something that complies with the rules then whats the problem. I, like most here I suspect, have not actually seen the helmet up close. The ridges are clearly not an attachment. Perhaps the ridge design is more like a golf ball in which case they don't stick out. Hence it complies fully with the regs. The great and good who officiate the sport obviously agree.

Some posters seem to be misreading the actual text of the regs and are making judgment based on their own interpretation of them. The helmet regulations are written the way they are as they are based on safety grounds, not preventing aerodynamic advantage which some seem to think. Organisers dont want huge elongated aerofoils and projections like we see in cycling and other speed sports. They're likely to mean somones neck will get broken if it digs in during a spill.

The people whingeing most seem to be those who are paid a fortune to manage teams, provide equipment, provide sponsorship deals, agents, PR people etc etc who take bucket loads of cash from sport (while most/many athletes get a pittance) and they are expected to provide medals in return. When they don't win there's always going to be resentment and their jobs could even be on the line. No wonder they're so keen on finding a way to eliminate the competition!

Anyway on a practical level, and having seen the competitors actually trying to lose speed, brake, change direction using their feet etc I don't think that many of them were complaining they were going too slow! If they had steered a better course and avoided crashing into the walls as most did, then they would have posted better times and maybe won. Most of the athletes know that the fastest girl who steered the truest course, and made fewest mistakes won on the day, regardless of what helmet she wore. Seems to me it was an excellent piece of sports psychology with a bit of kidology thrown in for good measure. Certainly fairer than the Canadian restrictions on practice runs for competitors....but that was also apparently allowed in the rules and hence deemed to be OK.  WELL DONE AMY!!

They do obviously give her an unfair advantage. The ruling was incorrect and it shouldn't be allowed. Just like if goalkeepers wear pads that are too large. I guess in the end she has to live with herself. It will never feel the way it should being a gold medal that was not earned based on skill but a gold medal that was the result of using equipment that tilted the playing field unfairly in her favor. shameful.    

The amazing bigotry on most of these posts - that is what is shameful!  

hey mattlmt, how dare u say this is bigotry. it is not racism, it is about the equipment that was used. dont get it twisted.

Matt K, perhaps you should read the posts again, and then look up the word bigotry in the dictionary.  It doesn't necessarily mean just racism! Your outrage is disingenuous.<P>For your edification here is an example of the bigotry on these posts, which are more obvious than the underlying bigotry of some of the other comments:<P>'typical yanks bad losers top the end shove it up your backside she won the gold ha ha.NO WONDER THE WORLD HATES YOU YANKS.'<P>'Typical Brits, they have to cheat to win.'<P>'So Brits, buck up and take the criticism because we all know you are cheats.'

If so many people here no more about the rules and guidelines of the sport maybe they should be working within FIBT rather than writing lame ass posts complaining about something completely legel within the sport O.o take a look as the bobsleighs, not all of THEM are the same shape or of the same aerodynamics, the american team and australian team amongst others had newer more innovative shaped sleighs which were also legally passed... yet i dont see anyone mentioning any problems there? probably because they weren't in medal positions...What next, ban Chinese because they are naturally smaller and therefore more aerodynamic and more flexible? i think some people should hold their tongues before opening their mouthes...