The Organising Committee said the threats sent to the FIS chief race director were unacceptable.

“All the staff of Fondazione Cortina 2021 express their support and solidarity for Markus Waldner, FIS chief race director for the men’s World Cup and World Championship races, who received death threats via email after the controversy over the execution of the parallel giant in Cortina which fell under its jurisdiction," a Cortina 2021 statement read.

"For an event like ours, based on the values of sport and fair play, it is unacceptable that an esteemed professional like Markus receives such grave messages, which go beyond normal debate and confrontation."

The men’s and women’s parallel giant slalom races were held at the World Championships for the first time on Tuesday (February 16).

Skiers competed head-to-head on blue and red courses, while a controversial rule was in place that the maximum lead a skier could take from the first run was 0.50 seconds.

Organisers faced criticism that the conditions on the blue course deteriorated more than those on the red course.

Several skiers suggested this favoured those who were completing their second run on the faster red course.

All four skiers in the women’s quarter-finals who completed their second runs on the blue course were eliminated.

This included Italy’s Federica Brignone and Switzerland’s Wendy Holdener, who were tipped to win medals in the event.

Brignone told Italian broadcaster RAI that the competition had been unfair.

"I think that was one of the worst races I've ever driven," Brignone said.

"And that at a world championship too.

"Just unfair.

"Whoever started on blue first had practically already won."

The women’s competition saw Marta Bassino of Italy initially declared as the winner on countback after the final against Austria’s Katharina Liensberger ended in a dead heat.

Bassino had advanced the final in the same manner, overcoming Tessa Worley of France.

Organisers later announced Bassino and Liensberger would share gold.

Men’s champion Mathieu Faivre of France was also critical of the event.

"I am really happy to win my first individual medal, but there is much that needs to be discussed after today," Faivre said, according to Reuters.