The British skeleton team – among Team GB’s best hopes for medals at the Winter Olympics – will not be able to wear their new helmets because they do not comply with the sport’s rules around shape.
The British team had appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) to overturn the decision by the sport’s governing body – the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF).
But Cas say the helmet is a departure from the standard helmet shape and has clearly been designed to specifically enhance aerodynamic performance because the back of the helmet protrudes.
The British Bobsleigh and Skeleton Association (BBSA) stressed that the helmet was designed with safety in mind and to comply with new safety regulations due to be introduced by the IBSF at the start of the 2026-27 season.
Those rules are not in place at the Olympics but British skeleton have essentially tried to get ahead of the curve by designing and using their new helmet in Italy.
A picture seen by BBC Sport shows that the helmet is pointed at the back – similar in appearance to a track cycling helmet.
Natalie Dunman, executive performance director at the BBSA, said: “Based on the strength of the case we put forward, naturally we are disappointed in [the] decision.
“However, this does not affect our final preparations and nor has the discourse affected the athletes’ focus or optimism going into the Games.
“Our athletes have been winning medals all season, and throughout the Olympic cycle, in their current helmets and we remain in a strong position to continue that trend.”
When asked about the helmet prior to the verdict, Team GB’s skeleton racers said they had no preference on which helmet they used at the Olympics.
They arrive at the Games as heavy favourites to win medals with world champion and overall World Cup winner Matt Weston leading the charge for gold while compatriot Marcus Wyatt is also fancied to go well.
The British team wore the helmets at a training session last week in Switzerland with the IBSF ruling them out on 29 January before the BBSA appealed against the ban on Thursday.
Official skeleton training in Cortina begins on Monday with the men’s event beginning on 12 February, while the women’s starts on 13 February and the team event is on 15 February.