Olympic skicross medal changed on appeal 9 days after race

GENEVA (AP) — The Olympic bronze medal in women’s skicross has been changed on appeal nine days after the race at the Beijing Winter Games. Fanny Smith of Switzerland will now get bronze after she was wrongly demoted to fourth in China. The International Ski Federation announced the verdict Saturday after an appeal brought by Smith and the Swiss team. Smith was blamed for causing contact with other skiers during the Feb. 17 race. She lost her third-place finish by a ruling of the FIS race jury. FIS now says that judgment was wrong. Daniela Maier of Germany now loses the bronze medal.