Canada appealing results in men’s skicross, could see Leman bumped to gold

SOCHI, Russia – Canada is appealing the final results of the men’s skicross at the Sochi Olympics in an effort to get fourth-place finisher Brady Leman of Calgary bumped up to gold.

The French team swept the podium in the event.

The Canadian Freestyle Ski Association and the Canadian Olympic Committee, along with the Slovenian Olympic Committee, are alleging that French team staffers changed the shaping of the athletes’ ski pants for better aerodynamics.

The ad hoc division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport is scheduled to hear the case Saturday night.

Leman finished fourth in the final to Jean-Frederic Chapuis, Arnaud Bovolenta and Jonathan Midol of France in Thursday’s competition. Slovenia’s Filip Flisar placed second in the small final and would be bumped to bronze if the appeal is won. Russia would win the silver.

The Canadians and Slovenians initially requested that the world governing body of skiing disqualify the French competitors. But the FIS competition jury decided the protests couldn’t be heard because they weren’t filed on time after the race.

A decision by the CAS is expected Sunday.