Vanessa-Mae appeals at CAS against race-fixing ban

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) Sport's highest court says pop violinist Vanessa-Mae has challenged her four-year ban for colluding in fixed Alpine ski races to qualify for the Sochi Olympics.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport says the musician has filed two appeals: against an International Ski Federation panel which banned her, and the governing body's decision to annul four qualifying races in Slovenia.

CAS says Vanessa-Mae ''seeks the annulment of both decisions.'' No hearing date is set.

She criticized the sanction last month as ''nonsensical.''

The court says the FIS panel decided Vanessa-Mae ''was either an active or knowing participant in the manipulation'' in January.

FIS detailed widespread rigging of races and results to improve the 35-year-old musician's racer status.

Vanessa-Mae competed for Thailand in Sochi, finishing last of 67 racers in giant slalom.