Austrian Ski Federation sporting director Mario Stecher has lashed out at Slovenian high jumper Timi Zajc after he was disqualified from the first two events of the four-mountain tour and subsequently banned from the remaining two events.
Zajk was disqualified for a legal violation after finishing second in the season opener in Oberstdorf on Monday, and was disqualified for the same reason before the first jump in Garmisch-Partenkirchen on Thursday.
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As a result, he was sent off and ruled out for Sunday’s game in Innsbruck and Tuesday’s final in Bischofshofen.
The Austrian news agency quoted Scheer as telling reporters on Saturday that he did not feel sorry for Zajk.
“It really annoys me. If the inseam length doesn’t fit, it didn’t fit before because the suits have gotten wider and longer. To me, that’s definitely manipulation. It’s unacceptable,” Scheer said.
“It’s no longer a matter of millimeters, it’s a fundamental discussion.”
Former German long jumper Martin Schmidt (now a Eurosport commentator) also criticized Zajk.
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“This is a lesson for him. I find it shameless and not in a positive sense. I feel a little sorry for him in Oberstdorf. But I have absolutely no sympathy for what happened here,” Schmidt said in Garmisch.
The APA said the Slovenian team had lodged a protest with the FIS adjudicating body over a change in competition control procedures in Garmisch that resulted in the disqualification of three long jumpers.