Team GB Skeleton Suits Illegal?
Well, it’s not exactly a wardrobe malfunction, but a contingent of countries are crying foul over the British Skeleton Team’s uniforms. Their form-fitting, 3D-modeled skintight suits are manufactured by UK-based design firm TotalSim, and “feature drag-resistant ridges that improve aerodynamics.” Apparently, this violates rule 10.16.3, which states that “No aerodynamic elements whatsoever may be attached either outside or under the race suit.” Because of this perceived violation – and because the UK team’s Lizzy Yarnold (+400) and Dom Parsons (+3300) are sitting near the top of the betting boards as real threats to win Gold – many racers are voicing their displeasure about the “unfair advantage” the pair has over the rest of the field.
However, there’s no real controversy here. Looking at the available pictures of the suits, there are no “attached aerodynamic elements.” Instead, the suits simply seem cut with seams in nontraditional places, which may have some negligent effect on the way air flows into and around the suit. In fact, the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) has reviewed the skinsuits in question and summarily dismissed all complaints about them. There were no rules violations found, and whatever advantage the British team receives from these suits can be attributed to simple technological innovation, a hardly unprecedented concept in Olympic (or any) sport.
One interesting bit of commentary about this dust-up is that the British Skeleton team’s true intent with their fancy outfits may be to simply get into the heads of their competition before the Skeleton finals kick off this weekend. Darrin Steele, CEO of USA Bobsled and Skeleton, sees the gambit for what it almost surely is, stating that “[a]thletes from various nations are talking about the British suits instead of focusing on the upcoming races.” That, more likely than not, is all the “unfair advantage” that Team GB needs to podium in the Skeleton, and it’s entirely self-inflicted by their rivals on the slide.
All that said, the olympic betting odds for UK contenders are still not the favorites to win the event outright. On the Men’s side, that distinction belongs to Korea’s Sungbin Yun, who has outlandish -5000 odds to take the Gold, while the Women’s circuit has Germany’s Jacqueline Loelling at +200 to secure the championship.