Team GB’s skeleton world champion Matt Weston has suffered a huge blow ahead of the Winter Olympics after being told the new helmet he was set to deploy in Italy is illegal.
The decision, which was passed down by the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation on January 29, could have gold medal ramifications for both Weston and his team-mate Marcus Wyatt, who uses the same equipment and is considered Weston’s closest rival for the top of the podium.
The dispute emerged on Wednesday, with the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s disclosing that the British Bobsleigh and Skeleton Association has lodged a frantic appeal against the decision. Their case will be heard on Thursday with a verdict due the following day.
Daily Mail Sport understands neither Weston nor Wyatt had previously used the new design, meaning they can still revert to the helmet they wore in the 2025-26 World Cup season, where Weston took five wins and Wyatt two from the seven races.
Their dominance still leaves them in a strong spot here. But it will nonetheless cause infuriation and possibly embarrassment for a team that prides itself on innovation.
The root of this issue is understood to trace to new rules being introduced next year for helmet design in the skeleton. The British believe their latest offering would comply with the 2027 directive but falls outside those in force for these Olympics. A source says their error was spotted when trialling the equipment at St Moritz last week.
A statement from the Court of Arbitration read: ‘The case concerns a decision by the IBSF that the safety helmet for Team GB for Skeleton does not comply with the IBSF Skeleton rules.
‘Filed on February 2, 2026, the appeal challenges a decision by the IBSF on January 29, 2026 stating that the helmet does not comply with the IBSF skeleton rules based on its shape. The design and manufacture of the Team GB helmet was funded by the BBSA, which they argue meets rigorous safety standards.
‘BBSA requests that the CAS Ad hoc division rules that the Team GB helmet is compliant with rules and is safe to use in the Skeleton Competition at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 and future IBSF competitions. They also requested that CAS rules that the Team GB helmet is proven to be safer and more beneficial to athletes’ health and safety than any other helmets being used.’
While British sliders have dominated the skeleton in recent decades, this is not the first time they have been accused of seeking an unfair technological advantage. In one instance, Canada cried foul about the GB skinsuits at Pyeongchang 2018, where Lizzy Yarnold won gold.
Britain have ploughed over £5.5million in lottery funding into this niche sport during the Milan Olympic cycle. Such investment tends to level the playing field with established snow nations via innovation, but it remains to be seen if British bosses pushed too far.
