Blow for British ski operators
A Ski Club of Great Britain host is to complain to the European Commission after losing an appeal against his conviction for guiding ski groups in France without the required qualification.
Ski Club leader Ken Piddlesden was arrested on the slopes Val d’Isere in April 2014 and in January 2015 a court in the French town of Albertville found him guilty of contravening the French Code du Sport.
An initial appeal hearing in Chambery, at which Piddlesden was supported by the Ski Club, today awarded a further €800 in damages to the French ski school, Ecole de Ski Francais, which backed the case against him.
The decision is a further blow to ski operators to France, many of whom previously offered similar free ski hosting – sometimes called ‘socal skiing’ – to their clients. The services have been suspended in France since hosts working for Le Ski, a British company operating in the Three Valleys, were arrested in 2013.
Several operators have thrown their support behind Le Ski’s legal battle to get the convictions overturned but today’s ruling against the Ski Club host makes it even less lilely soical skiing, which proved very popular with clients, will be reintroduced in France in the near future.
The Ski Club, on behalf of Piddlesden, said it will seek to launch a further appeal to a higher court in Paris.
"In due course his lawyer will also be lodging an official complaint with the European Commission on his behalf," it said.
A request to the appeal court in Chambery to refer the case to the European Court of Justice was refused.
As Ski Club leaders are non-remunerated volunteers, the Club claims the action is misguided and inappropriate.
Chief executive Frank McCusker said: "This is the outcome we expected but we still believe it to be misguided and inappropriate. We will continue our fight and we will be launching a further appeal in the French Criminal Supreme Court in Paris."
The Ski Club Leader programme in other countries is not affected by this outcome and at the start of the 2015/16 season the Ski Club introduced a paid-for instructore-led service to France.
The new instructor-led guiding service with the Evolution 2 ski school currently runs in Alpe d’Huez, Argentiere, Avoriaz, Courchevel, Flaine, La Plagne, Meribel, Les Arcs, Tignes, Val d’Isere and Val Thorens.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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