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International Ski Federation (FIS) president Gian Franco Kasper rejected on Thursday an accusation that women had to ski in the shade at world championships while men competed in the light.

Kasper was responding to criticism from Sweden's Anja Paerson about the setting of the championships on two opposite hills.

"It's unfortunate that we women ski on the dark side and the men on the bright side," Paerson said.

Paerson failed to finish Tuesday's super-G.

"These are comments from a skier who did not do well on this piste. But I can tell Anja that on a sunny day, the sun will shine on both sides of the mountain," Kasper told Reuters.

Several women have also complained of being forced to compete in their first race at the world championships, the super-G, only two days after a World Cup race in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

The Garmisch super-G was delayed by one day whereas a men's downhill, scheduled on the same day, was scrapped. The men then had two more days to rest before their first event at the world championships.

"It goes to show in what respect the women's circuit is held," said France's Ingrid Jacquemod.

Kasper said he had personally been against the decision to keep the Garmsich super-G.

"But there were very few speed races this season in the women's circuit, hence the decision," he said.

The FIS president said much had been done to enhance the impact of the women's circuit by naming former world champion Atle Skaardal of Norway as the head of their tour.

"I can't think of anybody as competent as Skaardal. We've also been trying to stage more mixed events so that the media following the men's tour can also follow the women," he said.

"But we can't help it if there are 10 times as many media on the men's tour."

(Source: Reuters)