BBC SPORT | Winter Olympics 2002 | Alpine Skiing | Baxter: Blown out of proportion

Britain's best skier for two decades, Alain Baxter, got caught up in the middle of a political row when he turned up at the Winter Olympics with a new hairstyle.

The slalom specialist, who was 11th in the world last season, had his hair dyed blue with the cross of St Andrew on it to show the world he was Scottish.

But he was immediately told he would not be able to compete with the new hairstyle because it could be deemed a political statement, which is against International Olympic Committee rules.

I seem to recall a number of other 'patriotic' hairdos over the course of the winter olympics. Why would they pick on Baxter?