Josef Strobl pledges allegiance to the Slovenian flag{mosimage}The Austrian skier Josef Strobl has received his Slovenian citizenship, and may race for that nation in the first races of the season. According to news agencies, Strobl now has a Slovenian passport.

Strobl, who has been training with the Slovenians all summer, needed approval from the Austrian federation. At the FIS fall meetings late last week in Zurich, Slovenia's alpine ski pool director Tone Vogrinec the Austrian federation president Peter Schroecksnadel was cooperating with the transfer, which helps Strobl race.

'Our interest is to build up our downhill team' said Vogrinec. 'To have Pepi will be a big benefit to our younger skiers. To compare times helps in speed events. Ever since the days of Bojan Krizaj, young Slovenian ski racers have wanted only to be slalom skiers. If they don't make it, then they try downhill. But it is too late by then.'