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Heather Mills Accused of Abusing Paralympic Official, Retires From British Ski Team

Heather Mills on January 19, 2012 in Austria
Paul McCartney's ex-wife Heather Mills has retired from the British Disabled Ski Team amid allegations of abusing a Paralympic official.

Not the best way to end a career. Heather Mills has announced her retirement from the British Disabled Ski Team amid allegations she abused a Paralympic official.

Mills, the ex-wife of Beatles legend Paul McCartney, has been accused of grabbing and verbally abusing International Paralympic Committee official Sylvana Mestre on Monday, Dec. 16 IPC's director of communications, Craig Spence, told the UK Press Association (via CNN): "She was screaming, 'you're a bitch, you're a bitch, you don't know who I am, I'm going to make your life miserable.' Sylvana tried to walk away and Heather moved and grabbed at her and had to be restrained by the British coach."

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The 45-year-old former model had her left leg amputated below the knee in 1993 following an accident involving a police motorcycle. She joined the BDST in 2010 with the intention to compete in the 2014 Winter Paralympic Games in Sochi, Russia. However, the IPC discovered at an event on Monday that Mills' adaptive skiing equipment did not meet their qualifications, which resulted in the alleged argument with the IPC official.

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Mills' team denied the accusations of abuse in a statement to BBC: "Heather waited patiently — as the IPC confirmed — to try and explain to Sylvana Mestre that her left boot was legal and purely cosmetic to abide by the archaic IPC rules. It was just cut down and the buckles removed to stop more weight limb damage."

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Following the incident, however, Mills decided to retire from the BDST.

"Occasionally in sport equipment issues arise, especially with adaptive equipment and the interpretation of the rules in relation to its use. Therefore we are all saddened that she has decided to retire at this stage, rather than working with BDST and IPC Skiing to resolve the issue," a statement made Tuesday from the British Paralympic Association read (via CNN). "Heather has shown determination and made great progress over the past few months and is to be commended for the success she's had in her skiing career."

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