Bobsleigh and skeleton World Championships moved to Germany
Monday 19 December 2016 13:35, UK
German resort Konigssee will host the 2017 bobsleigh and skeleton World Championships after Sochi was stripped of the event following doping claims.
The International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) announced the move after Russian city Sochi lost the right to stage the competition last week.
The federation had come under increasing pressure to take the event away from the 2014 Winter Olympics host city after this month's second McLaren report, which implicated over 1,000 Russian athletes in a state-sponsored doping programme, including many Winter Olympians.
"The IBSF executive committee felt that during this difficult time it is prudent not to organise such an event in Russia," the IBSF said last week.
A European venue was prioritised, with the IBSF considering the financial impact on teams, keeping to the original dates, the ability and experience to host the event at short notice and track availability.
A statement read: "The IBSF was very impressed by the solidarity and commitment shown immediately by the IBSF race organisers to support this effort in any possible way and would like to express its gratitude for it."
Latvia was the first nation to say it would boycott Sochi should it be held in Russia while Britain's Olympic skeleton champion Lizzy Yarnold suggested in October she was prepared to miss the championships following the claims of Russian state-sponsored doping.
The event takes place from February 13-26.
