Jan. 04--Some stories are too odd to go away quietly.
Vanessa-Mae, the British pop violinist who found herself in the midst of an international skiing controversy, has reportedly succeeded in getting officials to reinstate her last-place finish at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
The decision was made by the International Olympic Committee, according to reports in British media.
This quirky tale began two years ago when Vanessa-Mae, who has sold millions of records and has also been an avid skier since childhood, decided she wanted to compete for Thailand under her father's name, Vanakorn.
After qualifying for the Games at a series of last-minute races, she finished more than 11 seconds behind every other competitor in Russia.
Shortly thereafter, international ski officials alleged the qualifying events that got her to Sochi were fixed with false times and doctored fields. They banned her for four years and suggested her results be nullified.
Vanessa-Mae subsequently appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which overturned the ban, finding no evidence she knew about the race manipulations. Still, the final word on her status as an Olympian rested with the IOC.
Now, the committee's reported decision would not only reinstate Vanessa-Mae's result, but also open the door for her to take a shot at qualifying for the 2018 Winter Games.
