The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) had appealed to the the Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS) claiming that the International Bobsleigh and Tobogganing Federation (FIBT) had failed to properly apply its qualification system leaving Oceania without a representative.

That could have left Ireland out in the cold.

But after a lengthy deliberation, which had been preceded by the Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) presenting a vehement counter-argument, it was decided tonight that both Ireland and Australia would be allowed compete in the event on February 23.

The Australians, thus, become the 21st team to qualify.
 
The news comes as a major relief for of Aoife Hoey and Claire Bergin, who have already been living in the Olympic Village since last  week, while the Australians, Astrid Loch-Wilkinson and Cecilia McIntosh, have been staying elsewhere and training at the Whistler venue ahead of the opening ceremony here on Friday (February 12).
 
The problem arose when the Australian’s submitted a lengthy appeal to CAS contending that they should be given a position in the bobsleigh line-up of 20; this resulted from one of the Austrian teams withdrawing, bumping Ireland up to 19th in the rankings, while Japan was offered the vacant 20th spot as the top team in Asia.

The Australians argued that their team should be entered under the wild-card provision, which makes one slot in the 20-team field available to Oceania and another for Asia, according to the rules of FIBT. 

A CAS statement read: "The ad hoc Division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has upheld the application filed by the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) which claimed that the International Bobsleigh and Tobogganing Federation (FIBT) did not apply its qualification system for the Olympic Winter Games 2010 properly.

"The CAS Panel found that the clear wording of the qualification system implemented by the FIBT reflected the intention of representation by one men's bob team and one women's bob team from non-represented continents and could not be interpreted otherwise than as formulated.

"Accordingly, the application of the AOC was granted and the FIBT was ordered to allocate a continental representation quota place to the AOC for participation of the pilot Astrid Loch-Wilkinson in the two-man Women's Bob Event in the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

"Nevertheless, considering the situation of the Irish athletes, who expected legitimately to be entitled to participate in the Olympic Winter Games 2010 after their entry had been validated by the FIBT and the IOC (International Olympic Committee), the CAS Panel has recommended to the IOC and VANOC the inclusion of a 21st team in the women's bobsleigh event which is scheduled for 23 February 2010."

The Irish were thrilled with the decision, with Chef de Mission Siobhan Hoey, expressing the team's relief.

She said: "We are absolutely delighted to retain our legitimate place in the event.

"The Australians tried every legal angle they could muster.

"They were successful in their strategy, gaining a 21st place slot in a 20 person line up.

"However, it has caused serious disruption to our teams' preparations."

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