Regaining his health from a series of injuries and falls, German skier Felix Neureuther announced himself as a medal contender for the Sochi Olympics by edging first-run leader Marcel Hirscher to win a World Cup slalom on Monday night.
Then Neureuther used the spotlight to announce his opposition to Russia's human rights record and a recent law banning gay "propaganda" in the Olympic host country.
He also criticised the choice of Pyeongchang, South Korea, to host the 2018 Winter Games.
"It's not right," Neureuther said after his win in Bormio, Italy.
"The guys from the IOC should think about where to put the Olympic Games. It's not right to give the Olympic Games to places where they are giving the most money. It should be about the sport, in nations where there is passion."
Neureuther is from the well-known Alpine resort of Garmisch-Partenkirchen. He is the son of 1976 Olympic champion Rosi Mittermaier and Christian Neureuther, a six-time winner on the World Cup circuit.
The younger Neureuther now also has six career wins. And this victory was a major achievement considering what he's gone through over the past year.
Neureuther had ankle surgery in June and was off skis until the end of September. Then he tumbled head over heels during the second run of a race in Levi, Finland, in November and hurt his knee.
Neureuther had another crash while training in Alta Badia last month, dislocating his thumb and hurting his back.
"Now I'm healthy," he said.
"But I still have some big problems with my thumb. This will take some more weeks. I hope when there is the slalom in Sochi it will be good."
The Sochi Games start February 7 and the men's slalom on February 22 is the final skiing event.
Neureuther said that he would not make any protests when in Sochi.
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