British skeleton world champion Matt Weston has expressed a remarkably calm attitude towards the potential prohibition of Great Britain's newly designed helmets for the upcoming Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina. The controversy stems from a recent ruling by the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF), which deemed the team's innovative headgear non-compliant with existing regulations.
Appeal Lodged Amidst Equipment Scrutiny
The British Bobsleigh and Skeleton Association (BBSA) formally lodged an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Wednesday, challenging the IBSF's decision to outlaw the helmets. This move underscores the high stakes involved in elite winter sports, where marginal gains can determine podium finishes. The appeal process is now underway, with the Olympic clock ticking.
Weston's Proven Success with Current Gear
Weston, however, appears largely unaffected by the ongoing debate. He has emphasised that the equipment he has utilised throughout the current season—which remains approved for Olympic use—has already delivered exceptional results. Remarkably, Weston has secured victory in five out of the seven World Cup events this season, a testament to both his skill and the effectiveness of his current setup.
"It doesn't really affect me too much," Weston told the Press Association. "The equipment I have been using all year is what I can use at the Olympics and that hasn't gone too badly for me. I'm not concerned – I'm just excited to get racing."
Focus on Performance Over Peripheral Issues
The champion slider framed the helmet situation as a secondary concern, prioritising the core elements of his preparation. "It's not getting in the way or anything," he explained. "I've got other things I can focus on to kind of maximise my performance coming into the Olympics – this is an icing on the cake but I still need to make the cake at the moment."
He highlighted the inherently innovative nature of the sport, where teams constantly seek minuscule advantages. "This is a sport that is won by hundredths of a second so for us as GB and the team we have around us, we're constantly innovating from race week to race week. We try to push the boundaries and find those gains, this is just one of the parts of innovation we do as GB and I think we do it pretty well."
Confidence Regardless of Outcome
Weston finished second to his teammate Marcus Wyatt in the two World Cup races he did not win, further demonstrating the strength of the British squad. He remains confident whether the new helmet is approved or not.
"We've developed a new helmet that is a slightly different shape to what we've currently been using, but that is all it is really. We believe it is legal, it's currently being debated," Weston clarified. "All of our success has been with our current helmet, so for me it is the tiniest little thing in the background."
His ultimate focus is firmly on Olympic success. "If it is legal then great, but I'm not worried – whatever we end up wearing, I think we're in with a great shout of bringing some medals home. It's such a small issue, it's not really crossed any of our minds."
Weston concluded by reinforcing the team's elite mindset: "It's part and parcel of the things we have to change anyway, day to day, in a normal training and race period. I think at this point we are some of the best in the world and are just focusing on ourselves – just doing what we need to." With such a composed and results-driven attitude, the British skeleton team appears undeterred as they finalise their preparations for the Winter Games.
