Kelly glad controversy now behind her

CALGARY — Skeleton racer Michelle Kelly wants the world to know she is not a cheater.

Yes, the laser-etched stamps on her sled runners — the ones that show the equipment is approved by the federation that governs the sport — were faded at the conclusion of team selection trials last month in Whistler, B.C.

But the Fort St. John, B.C., slider says routine maintenance of the runners — not some diabolical plot to hit the podium by illegal means — are to blame for the whole debacle that saw her suspended.

“There was no performance-enhancement on my equipment whatsoever,” Kelly said Friday. “I don’t want to race or compete unfairly or not under my own power.

“Nothing was wrong with the equipment my coach prepared.”

Kelly placed second at the selection trials behind Mellisa Hollingsworth, of Airdrie, Alta., but a race inspector disqualified Kelly, because he could not see federation markings on the steel runners with the naked eye. That dropped Kelly right off the World Cup team and all but ended her hopes of representing Canada in Whistler at the 2010 Winter Games.

At least temporarily.

“I had a really long sideways scratch on one of the runners,” she said. “My coach did a lot of sanding to remove it. Unfortunately, I never even looked for stamps. I never do, because I just always assume that they’re there.

“When it was questioned after the race, I didn’t even know it was possible.”

Upon further investigation, Kelly discovered it’s more than possible to rub the markings off with regular sandpaper.

It’s important for me to get it out there that I did compete fairly and honestly,” she said.

“Yes a mistake was made. That’s not being disputed.

“But it was never anything that was intentional or had any kind of performance enhancement.”

An appeals panel turned over the disqualification this week after learning Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton only had one inspector on site at the end of the race. The two others assigned to the event has already left for the day.

Wanting to exonerate herself, Kelly asked for the sled to be sent to an independent facility for third-party testing. The results show the runners were consistent in hardness, chemical composition and dimensions with other skeleton runners evaluated.

Perhaps more importantly, the independent tests determined that the markings (all of which were identifiable under microscopic examination) were diminished in a manner consistent with sanding.

“The most difficult part of all this for me was the suggestion that I had attempted to enhance my performance,” Kelly said. “ I have always, in every race, competed fairly and honestly, and even the slightest suggestion to the contrary is deeply troubling to me.

“I am just glad that the evidence presented to the appeals panel proves I did not cheat.”

She flew to Park City, Utah on Wednesday, zipped straight to the track and managed to get just two practice runs down the track prior to the first World Cup of the season.

On Thursday, she placed fifth in a race limited to one heat due to snow. Her teammates, Amy Gough and Hollingsworth, finished second and third respectively.

“It was a very confusing time and a very draining time,” she said regarding her suspension.

“I’ve have a lot of not-so pleasant comments my way.

“Everybody is entitled to their own opinion.”

The Canadian women compete and train in tight quarters — mostly at Canada Olympic Park — so the strain is evident on everyone. Kelly’s return to the World Cup team spelled the demotion of promising newcomer Sarah Reid of Calgary, to the Intercontinental Cup circuit.

“I feel bad for Sarah,” Kelly said. “I mean that’s not got to be easy for her. That’s a lot of up and down for her. It’s kind of hard to satisfy everyone in this kind of situation.”

Calgary Herald

vhall@theherald.canwest.com