GIANT SLALOM IN PROGRESS; MAUDUIT; KILLY.




Initials TS/VS/CCT/PC



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Background: JEAN CLAUDE KILLY, THE TRIPLE OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALLIST, WAS BEATEN INTO A SURPRISE SECOND PLACE IN THE MERIBEL INTERNATIONAL SKI MEETING IN THE FRENCH ALPS YESTERDAY (FRIDAY). KILLY WAS PROVISIONALLY ALLOWED TO TAKE PART IN THE MEETING WHILE A CHARGE OF VIOLATION OF HIS AMATEUR STATUS IS BEING CONSIDERED BY THE INTERNATIONAL SKI FEDERATION (F.I.S), AND TONIGHT THE FEDERATION ANNOUNCED THAT THE PROVISIONAL PERMISSION HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO COVER THE WORLD SKI CUP COMPETITIONS IN NORTH AMERICA IN A WEEK'S TIME.

KILLY WAS BEATEN INTO SECOND PLACE IN THE GIANT SLALOM BY FELLOW FRENCHMAN GEORGES MAUDUIT, BY 0.89 SECONDS.

YESTERDAY'S EVENT WAS THE FIRST IN WHICH KILLY HAD COMPETED SINCE SCOOPING THREE GOLD MEDALS IN THE WINTER OLYMPICS, AND HAVING A THREE-WEEK REST.

A FINAL DECISION IS STILL TO BE TAKEN BY F.I.S PRESIDENT MARC HODLER AND THE F.I.S. ELIGIBILITY COMMITTEE ON WHETHER TO SUSPEND THE OLYMPIC CHAMPION ON A CHARGE OF VIOLATING HIS AMATEUR STATUS, BUT IN THE MEANTIME HE WILL BE ALLOWED TO COMPETE IN CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES IN THE FORTHCOMING WORLD SKI CUP COMPETITIONS.