Baxter: Blown out of proportion

Baxter had his hair dyed for a laugh

By BBC Sport Online's Anna Thompson with Team GB

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.

A Union Jack hairstyle would be fine

BOA spokesman

Baxter, not wanting to jeopardise his chances in his second Games, has dyed the cross so it no longer resembles a Scottish flag.

The 28-year-old from Aviemore told BBC Sport Online: "It has been blown out of all proportion. "I had my hair dyed for a bit of a laugh but when I was told there could be a problem I changed it

"In no way was it a political statement."

The British Olympic Association said the Union Flag was the recognised symbol of the BOA and it had warned athletes they could not have English, Scottish or Welsh flags on their attire.

A spokesman for the BOA said: "The IOC generally take a dim view of any political, religious or racist statement and Alain's hair could have been construed as making a political statement.

Dixon may face action

"A Union Jack hairstyle would be fine because that is the recognised symbol of Great Britain."

Team GB is a 50-strong squad with 28 of them English, 21 of them Scottish and one from Wales.

Baxter's cousin Lesley McKenna wanted the Scottish flag to adorn her snowboarding kit but was forced to remove it before she competed in the half-pipe.

But six-time Olympian Mike Dixon, a biathlete, has been seen with a small Scottish flag on his rifle in the 2002 Games.

A BOA spokesman added: "We were not aware of that but if Mike has got a Scottish flag on his rifle we will take the appropriate steps."