The controversy behind Team GB’s banned skeleton helmet and the hunt for Winter Olympics glory

Matt Weston concedes the timing of the potential ban could have been better, but Team GB remain bullish over their chances on the ice

Britain's Matt Weston in action during men's skeleton heat 1 (REUTERS)

Matt Weston believes that Team GB's infamous skeleton helmet is the pinnacle of sliding innovation, despite it being banned just days out from the Olympic Winter Games.

The 28-year-old has heralded British Bobsleigh and Skeleton Association (BBSA)'s brand new helmet design as a revolutionary new piece of equipment. One perfectly in line with every national governing body’s constant aim to find marginal gains.

The helmet, however, may never see the light of day after being banned by the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation, citing that the aerodynamic ridges reportedly do not comply with the sport's regulations.

BBSA has lodged an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport to fight the block, but with the clock ticking down until the competition gets underway in Cortina, it's yet unknown as to whether the British team will be debuting their new fashion.

"This is a sport that is won by minor seconds, so we are constantly innovating every race week," Weston said.

"We're trying different things and trying to push the boundaries and find that extra gain, So this is just one of the many parts of the innovation that we do as GB and I think that we do it pretty well."

Weston comes into his second Olympics at Milano Cortina 2026 after four years of revolutionary change in himself.

The Briton finished 15th at Beijing 2022, in what he has publicly reflected on as a disappointing performance.

Since then, he has won two world titles, two European titles and made history on the World Cup circuit, all while wearing his old helmet.

It's success like this he uses to back up his indifferent view on whether design will be allowed for the Olympics or not, because ultimately, new helmet or not, silverware is on the cards.

Great Britain's hopes of winning multiple skeleton medals at the Winter Olympics have been hit by a potential helmet ban (David Davies/PA Wire)

"I'm fine, it doesn't really affect me too much," he said. "I'm not that concerned, I'm just excited to get racing.

"They could have timed this differently, but it's not getting in the way of anything.

"The equipment that I have been using all year is exactly what I can use at the Olympics and that hasn't gone too badly for me this season. [The helmet] would just be the icing on the cake."

So much success over the past few years means that Weston comes into Cortina with a target on his back and gold in his sights.

And after finally arriving in the Olympic Village ahead of competition, he admitted that there is a mix or nerves and excitement when it comes to the pressure he is facing.

"I'm in the best condition that I could possibly be in at the moment, and my sliding is the best that it has ever been, which is an amazing place to be in heading into an Olympics," he said.

World champion Matt Weston has had a superb season (PA Wire)

"There is the added pressure and there's a lot of talk around me, so the anxiety of things like that is a bit higher, but my confidence is also higher."

The new Cortina Sliding Centre saw a maiden World Cup appearance in November 2025, with Weston immediately taking gold on the track.

So, if the recent success is not enough to convince the public of Team GB's skeleton medal hopes, sans new helmet, the fact that they're already racing even faster than that World Cup gold should be.

"We slid for the first time [on Wednesday] and the track is in fantastic condition," said Team GB's Marcus Wyatt. "Already in training, we went quicker than the race in the World Cup.

"It's quite a tricky track, there's some really quirky bits at the top, and then the bottom half is all about flowing, relaxing, and kind of enjoying the speed."

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