Kostner Wins DH, Levels Charges

Italy's Isolde Kostner won the second women's World Cup downhill of the season Friday, then accused Austrian's Renate Goetschl of cheating a day earlier.

Kostner, who edged France's Carole Montillet by 0.48 seconds, said Goetschl broke International Ski Federation (FIS) rules after completing her downhill run Thursday.

Koster said Goetschl removed a liner from her ski boot and put it in her pocket before it could be measured to see if it met FIS standards. Goetschl, the defending overall World Cup champion, finished third Thursday and was 19th Friday.

"I was very angry today at the start," said Kostner, who lost Thursday's race by 0.1 seconds to Germany's Petra Haltmayer. "I was very angry because I saw that Goetschl removed something from her boot and the FIS man didn't control it. That was very bad."

Goetschl shrugged off the allegations.

"I don't know what Isolde saw," Goetschl said. "I don't know what she's thinking I have done. I didn't remove anything. I don't know what's in her mind."

Goetschl said she hasn't confronted Kostner about her allegations.

"Why should I?" she said. "I didn't have to hide anything."

The Italians also are concerned Michaela Dorfmeister might have tampered with her boot after Friday's race.

Italian coach Valerio Ghirardi said Kostner expressed her concerns about Goetschl to him after Thursday's race.

"This is a bad situation," Ghirardi said. "If you have rules, you have to respect them."

Asked if Goetschl was cheating, Ghirardi said: "I think so. I believe in Isolde."

Austrian coach Karl Frehsner refused to comment on Kostner's allegations.

"I didn't see it. I was still on the hill. I was not in the finish area," Frehsner said.

Frehsner said it was up to Heinz Krecek, the FIS official who measures the boots, to police the finish area.

"It's not my job," Frehsner said. "The job for this control is Krecek's."

Under FIS rules, the distance from the outside bottom of the boot to the inside of the sole cannot exceed 45 millimeters. The higher a racer's foot is off the ground, the more leverage and pressure they can put on the ski.

Kostner completed the 2,844-yard Olympic downhill course on Whitehorn Mountain in 1 minute, 33.76 seconds. Switzerland's Corinne Rey Bellet was third in 1:34.40.

Jonna Mendes of Heavenly, Calif., finished seventh in 1:34.66, and Kirsten Clark of Raymond, Maine, tied for eighth in 1:34.95.

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