The Irish women's bobsled team of Claire Bergin, Aoife Hoey and Leona Bryne will now take their place at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

A ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) yesterday resolved an ongoing dispute between Ireland and Australia over entry to the women’s bobsleigh event at the upcoming Winter Olympics.

A row developed last week when the Australian team discovered they would not be eligible to compete at the games, at which point they protested against the inclusion of the Irish team who had claimed the final qualifying place.

However, under a ruling by the CAS on Tuesday, both teams will now take their place on the starting line in Canada when the event begins on February 23.

The row originally centred around the Ireland team’s inclusion as the 20th and final team. The Australians argued, that under the competition’s rules, they were entitled to go to the games as the top team in their qualifying region of Oceania.

Japan qualified under the same rules as the top team in Asia, and Australia were seeking to take the place of the Irish team of Aoife Hoey, Claire Bergin and Leona Bryne under those same rules.

However, in a result that has pleased all sides, both the Irish and Australian teams will now be allowed to compete in Vancouver.

“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, the CAS panel has recommended to the IOC and VANOC the inclusion of a 21st team in the women’s bobsleigh event,” a statement from the CAS said.

The opening ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics will take place this Saturday night and will be screened live on Channel Nine from 12.30pm.

by Aaron Dunne