The International Ski Federation ruled that the athlete’s qualifying scores were manipulated

Vanessa_Mae

Violinist-turned-Olympian Vanessa-Mae has been banned from professional skiing for four years by the International Ski Federation (FIS). The body ruled that the 36-year-old Singapore-born British artist, who represented Thailand at the Sochi Winter Olympics in January, should not have qualified as her results were manipulated at an event in Slovenia. Five officials from that event, organised by the Thai Olympic Committee, have also been banned by the FIS.

‘The hearing panel found to its comfortable satisfaction that the results of the four ladies' giant slalom races that took place on 18 and 19 January at Krvavec were manipulated,’ said the FIS in a statement.

Competing as Vanessa Vanakorn, using her father's surname, the violinist finished last of 67 competitors in the giant slalom at the Sochi Games - 50 seconds behind winner Tina Maze. At the time she told news reporters she had expected to finish last and was happy to have realised her dream to compete at the Olympics for Thailand.

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