Officials eye fallout from missed DQ call
SCHLADMING, Austria -- Austrian ski officials are asking for calm following Marcel Hirscher's disputed slalom victory, hoping to prevent Austrian and Croatian fans from clashing Tuesday during the annual Schladming night race.
Austrian men's coach Mathias Berthold says "we don't want fans to oppose each other, we want a ski party like every year. That's why it is important to cool down emotions."
Berthold acknowledged on Sunday that Hirscher apparently straddled a gate while winning in Zagreb, a mistake that warrants immediate disqualification but went unnoticed by judges. When it came to light, it sparked an angry reaction from World Cup champion Ivica Kostelic of Croatia.
The race in Schladming usually draws 50,000 fans, including several thousand from Croatia.
Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press
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