“Gained an advantage”: why Swiss-Ski is considering a protest against Shiffrin’s win

Mikaela Shiffrin extended her remarkable slalom dominance with another victory in Semmering, claiming her fifth World Cup slalom win of the season. However, the American’s latest success has sparked debate, with Swiss-Ski even weighing up the possibility of filing an official protest due to events surrounding the inspection of the second run.

The night slalom in Semmering proved controversial on several fronts. Difficult and deteriorating slope conditions played a major role throughout the race, producing unusually large time gaps and an exceptionally high number of early exits. In the opening run alone, 39 of the 79 competitors failed to finish, underlining just how demanding the course had become. Among those eliminated was 16-year-old Giada D’Antonio, who was making her World Cup debut.

While the challenging snow and icy surface already raised concerns, further discussion followed an irregular situation during the inspection of the second run. Shortly before the decisive run, the race jury opted to slightly alter the course setting, believing adjustments were necessary given the conditions on the hill. By the time this decision was made, however, the majority of athletes had already completed their inspection.

Only two racers — Dzenifera Germane and Shiffrin — had not yet finished inspecting the course when the change was announced. This detail would later become the centre of the controversy.

According to various media reports, it was Shiffrin herself who raised concerns about a particular section of the course. The passage in question involved a long turn leading into a hairpin, which the American felt posed an unnecessary safety risk, especially considering the fragile state of the slope. Following her complaint, the jury reassessed the section and chose to modify the gate placement.

As a result of the late decision, Shiffrin and Germane were granted an additional 15 minutes to inspect the revised course. Under normal circumstances, exceeding the allotted inspection time can lead to disqualification. However, the jury made an exception in this case, citing safety concerns and the late nature of the adjustment.

This decision did not sit comfortably with everyone, particularly within the Swiss camp. Swiss women’s head coach Beat Tschuor openly questioned whether the extra inspection time constituted an unfair advantage.

Speaking to SRF after the race, Tschuor explained that he had approached the jury to seek clarification. “We essentially lost the race by nine hundredths of a second,” he said. “Two athletes were given additional inspection time, and that naturally raises the question of whether this influenced the outcome. I wanted to understand whether lodging a protest would even be appropriate.”

Tschuor acknowledged that the officials provided him with a detailed explanation of their decision, one he ultimately found understandable. Based on the jury’s reasoning, he concluded that any formal protest would almost certainly have been rejected.

Nevertheless, the Swiss coach felt it was important to raise the issue. “For me, it was about sending a message,” Tschuor said. “This is not how things should normally be handled. Fairness must apply to everyone equally, and those involved in decision-making need to be aware of the implications their choices carry.”

He stressed that while safety must always remain a priority, competitive integrity should not be compromised in the process. “Races should be decided on the course, not through administrative decisions,” Tschuor added. “Athletes accept the risks of the sport, but they also expect the same conditions and rules to apply to all competitors.”

In the end, Swiss-Ski stopped short of filing an official protest, choosing instead to voice its concerns directly to race officials. While Shiffrin’s victory stands, the episode has reignited discussion about how last-minute course changes are handled and whether protocols should be refined to prevent similar situations in the future.

The Semmering slalom will therefore be remembered not only for Shiffrin’s latest triumph but also for the debate it triggered — a reminder that even at the highest level of alpine skiing, fairness, safety, and transparency remain delicate balances to maintain.