Alain Baxter was born on 26 December 1973 and is a Scottish former alpine skier who was formerly a professional specialising in the slalom discipline.
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26 Facts About Alain Baxter
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Alain Baxter is best known for failing a drug test after finishing third in the men's slalom of the 2002 Winter Olympics, resulting in him being controversially stripped of the bronze medal; he would have become the first British person to win an Olympic medal in a skiing event.
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3.
Alain Baxter was allowed to return to competition, although his appeal to have the medal reinstated failed.
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5.
Alain Baxter is the son of Iain and Sue Baxter, who were both British Ski Team members.
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6.
Alain Baxter's father named him after Alan Breck Stewart, a character from the Robert Louis Stevenson novel Kidnapped, who was a rebellious Highlander.
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7.
Alain Baxter steadily worked his way through the world rankings, making the top 100 in time for the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics.
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8.
Alain Baxter returned home to Aviemore to a hero's welcome and a parade around the town in an open top bus.
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9.
Alain Baxter stated that he had not knowingly ingested, and that he would not make any further statement until the IOC's inquiry and disciplinary commissions ruled on his case.
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10.
The International Olympic Committee held a private two-day hearing in Lausanne, where Alain Baxter would be able to speak, with the outcome expected the following week.
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11.
Alain Baxter returned the medal, for it to be awarded to Austrian Benjamin Raich.
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12.
Alain Baxter later proved the source of levomethamphetamine was from a Vicks inhaler that he had used in the United States.
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13.
Alain Baxter had been unaware that the contents were different from those found in the UK version.
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14.
Alain Baxter's appeal rested on whether levAmphetamine was performance-enhancing, Vicks and other expert witnesses explained that it was a decongestant, and had negligible stimulant properties.
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15.
Alain Baxter did not take a banned substance, as levAmphetamine was not on the list, but it was Dr Catlin's evidence which the appeal committee believed.
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16.
In 2004 Alain Baxter won his seventh British Slalom title, a record that was unequalled until Dave Ryding won a seventh title in 2016.
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17.
Alain Baxter was well respected by the more established skiing nations and his talent was the best the UK had produced.
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18.
Alain Baxter competed in the 2006 Winter Olympics at Turin, where he finished 16th in the slalom.
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19.
Alain Baxter is a keen player of shinty, and turned out for Kincraig Shinty Club when that club was still active.
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20.
Alain Baxter won the 2005 British Superstars event, defeating Du'aine Ladejo who had edged Alain Baxter out for the 2003 title.
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21.
Alain Baxter had some assistance from the Scottish Institute of Sport's talent transfer programme.
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22.
Alain Baxter made his debut on a track bike racing at Manchester Velodrome on 5 December 2009, at part of the Revolution - Season 6.
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23.
Alain Baxter set himself a goal of racing in the Commonwealth Games in 2010 which he unfortunately did not achieve.
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25.
Alain Baxter's cousin Lesley McKenna is a leading professional snowboarder and winner of two World Cups.
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26.
Alain Baxter married businesswoman Sheila Dow in 2006, after the two met at Finlay Mickel's wedding the previous year.
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