An incorrect timing might have cost a medal...
During pursuit, athletes start the race according to the results they showed in the sprint event. At the beginning of Tuesday"s race, three women were allowed to start their race with a larger interval. 2006 Olympic Champion Olofsson-Zidek had to begin her pursuit 14 seconds later.
"It might have cost us a medal. It is a huge scandal. It is unheard of," Wolfgang Pichler was quoted as saying by a Swedish sports paper, Sportbladet.
Sweden lodged an official protest immediately after the race, but withdrew it soon after the International Biathlon Union issued an apology and subtracted 14 seconds from Olofsson-Zidek"s result, promoting her to the fourth place.
"It was a big mistake from our side, we apologize to Anna-Carin," the Montreal Gazette quoted IBU"s technical delegate, Norbert Baier, as saying.
He also apologized to Germany"s Simone Hauswald and Ukraine"s Valj Semerenko, who were also affected by incorrect timing.