— The Associated Press

WHISTLER, British Columbia — At the height of its Olympic glory, Whistler — the ski resort hosting glamorous Alpine events at the Winter Games — may be headed for the auction block.

It’s owned by a New York hedge fund that is reportedly behind on a $524 million loan payment, the result of flagging resort business and plummeting property values.

Creditors want their money back, and they’re playing hardball — calling an auction to put Whistler and other property up for sale today, the same day Bode Miller is scheduled to compete for his second Olympic medal in the men’s super-G.

The backstory is a parable of our economic times: high-stakes hedge-fund gambles, the collapse of Lehman Brothers and the possible bankruptcy of a company that owns some of North America’s most prestigious resorts.

If Whistler is sold — meaning the slopes, the lifts, the property, all of it — some locals worry about an uncertain future.

”We don’t know what these new guys want to do with the mountain. It can change your whole life, right?” said Ian Ribera of Castro’s Cuban Cigar Store in Whistler village.

THE SKI JUMPING rivalry between Austria and Switzerland intensified when the Austrian team accused gold medalist Simon Ammann of using improper bindings and threatened to protest if he doesn’t change them for the next event.

The Austrians told the International Ski Federation that Ammann’s bindings are unsafe and improve his aerodynamics in a way that has not been approved.

The Austrians are not challenging the normal hill result, but say they will protest after the first round of the large hill event Saturday if Ammann uses the same gear.

THE PRESIDENT of hockey’s international body says that despite lopsided games the women’s tournament will remain in future Olympics.

International Ice Hockey Federation President Rene Fasel said that the teams from Canada and the United States are ”on another planet.” He says the rest of the world needs time to catch up.

THE NHL ISN’T close to deciding whether it will take part in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, with Commissioner Gary Bettman citing the lack of a collective bargaining agreement for that period and concerns over shutting down the season when interest is peaking.

AMERICANS DARON Rahlves and Casey Puckett say they’re ready for Sunday’s skicross even though they’re not entirely healthy.

Rahlves says he is about ”88 percent” after dislocating his right hip last month in a wreck at the Winter X Games.

Puckett dislocated his shoulder during a race last month, then landed awkwardly during a run last month, which caused further damage.

WITH ONLY A single medal of each color won by Russians going into Thursday’s events, some members of the nation’s parliament are calling for their top sports leaders to resign.