Biathlon: Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen attacks the Norwegian staff
Last weekend, on the slopes and shooting range of Otepää (Estonia), Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen returned to winning ways on the IBU Cup circuit. Five years after his last success in the antechamber of the biathlon world cup, the Norwegian mastered his subject in the mass-start 60 to claim first place.
With this success and numerous previous podium finishes on this circuit, the 32-year-old biathlete was hoping to make his return to the elite at the Pokljuka stage (Slovenia), which starts this Thursday. In the end, however, it was not to be for the Scandinavian colossus, who was not included in a team he has not been with since 25 January and a men’s relay in Antholz (Italy).
Clearly irritated by this situation, the native of Geilo (Norway) has even decided to skip the final stage of the IBU Cup still scheduled in Otepää: “I don’t understand why they’re not taking me to Pokljuka. I’m very frustrated and if it were possible, I would have changed employer,” he told NRK.
“I couldn’t stay in the IBU Cup and pretend everything was fine”.Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen at NRK
Indeed, for the competitions scheduled in Slovenia, his team-mates Johannes Dale-Skjevdal and Isak Frey have been preferred to him. It is therefore from his living room that the Norwegian will be able to watch his compatriots competing on the two circuits, if he so wishes: “I couldn’t stay in the IBU Cup and pretend everything was fine”, he announced before returning to his home in the last few hours.
“Today, we accept that we have to go back down to work and hope to come back to the World Cup. Our training programme is based on performance and when that happens, we become victims of our own programme,” he regrets. The coaches are no longer there for us. We feel very alone.
These comments were addressed directly to Siegfried Mazet, Per Arne Botnan and Egil Kirstiansen. He may say that, but we’re involved in top-level sport and there are always selections where some get in and others don’t,” says Per Arne Botnan, manager of the Norwegian squad. It happens quite often that you don’t get selected.
“It’s a shame. I could have said things about Vetle too. But I won’t say anything, that’s between us,” says Siegfried Mazet from the Drôme. We sometimes disagree on certain things, because he doesn’t hesitate to speak up and say what he thinks. But I’m not worried, we’ll get through it.
In his defence, Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen believes he should have taken Johannes Dale-Skjevdal‘s place. “I went to the World Cup before Christmas and finished sixth twice. With Johannes, neither of us had a good season, but I beat him every time we faced each other in the World Cup,” he explained. I also beat him in the European Championships and this weekend in the IBU Cup.
“I don’t really want to comment on who deserves one place more than another. Norwegian men’s biathlon is difficult to get into and I’m aware of that,” admitted Johannes Dale-Skjevdal. From my point of view, I have six wins in the IBU Cup this season and I think that justifies a place in the World Cup.
Read also
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