Can you protest a result in ski mountaineering?
A · Advanced · Equipment and results · 4 of 4A national official, or the athlete if none is present, may protest a penalty or a technical error in the results. The ISMF form and a 100 euro fee, refunded if upheld, must be handed in within 5 minutes for sprint and relay races and 15 minutes for others. The Technical Jury answers in writing.
How it works
- Who: a national official, or the athlete in their absence.
- What: penalties, technical errors in results, hindering or cheating by others.
- Fee: 100 euros in cash; back if upheld.
- Sprint and relay window: 5 minutes.
- Other races: 15 minutes.
- Answer: within 15 or 30 minutes, in writing.
- Not allowed: in sprint qualification, heats and semifinals; in mixed relay qualification.
- Juries: the Technical Jury rules on penalties; the Event Jury on safety and timing.
The glossary has the protest (ski mountaineering), the Technical Jury, the Jury President, the penalty under review, the penalty scales (ski mountaineering) and the Team Captains' Meeting.
Tricky cases
Can an athlete protest a penalty for insulting an official?
No. Abuse cases go to the Disciplinary Commission instead.
At the Olympics, how long is the window?
5 minutes from the start of the protest period.
What decides a tied jury vote?
The Jury President's vote in the Technical Jury.
What does a protester need to cite?
The specific points of the Rules & Guidelines.
Why the rule exists
Short windows keep results moving between phases. The fee discourages protests made only in hope.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Sprint and relay | 5-minute window | 27.3 |
| Vertical, individual and team | 15-minute window | 27.3 |
| Olympic Winter Games | Finals, individual and vertical only | 56.7 |
From the rule book
ISMF, Rules & Guidelines, version 2026-2027, rules 23.1, 27.3, 56.7 and Appendix L. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: the ISMF Rules & Guidelines 2026-2027.