Biathlon: “I just feel unwanted”, laments Karoline Knotten
Last month, the announcement of the Norwegian biathlon squads for the 2025/2026 season caused quite a stir. Karoline Knotten was effectively left out of the team, despite finishing fourteenth in the overall World Cup standings and winning silver in the relay at the World Championships in Lenzerheide (Switzerland). It’s a decision that’s hard for the 30-year-old biathlete to understand and accept.
“First I was shocked, then I got angry. Now I’m just sad about the situation. I just feel unwanted. It hurts,” she tells GD in an interview. The media frenzy was such that the native of Tromsø (Norway) took a few days’ holiday after the selection was announced.
“There was a real commotion immediately afterwards. The phone was ringing all the time. I had to cut off contact with the outside world, but I really appreciate all the warm comments. The biathlon family, both at home and abroad, really cared.”
Karoline Knotten added that she had had a meeting with national coach Sverre Huber Kaas and general secretary Morten Aa Djupvik before the team selection was announced. During this meeting, a training plan was presented. The Scandinavian then raised a few questions about the programme.
“I’ve been through a lot of ups and downs. I needed to make changes and I was partially allowed to do so. When the requirement is to participate one hundred per cent, I want to know what the philosophy is. And why there’s no room for adjustments”, declared the Norwegian.
Karoline Knotten also describes how the Norwegian coaches want the programme to work without leaving any room for the athletes’ questions.
“I want to own what I do and believe in what I do. If the future national team wants athletes to just turn up to training and be trained, I’m afraid the curiosity and joy will disappear. You have to allow people to ask questions, raise critical points and provide constructive criticism. Otherwise, it’s like a dictatorship.
Before concluding: “ This situation shows that if you’re a little different from the majority, you either have to change or be thrown out. In my opinion, this sends out the wrong signal to all those who come after us.
“It was never a personal attack,” says national coach Sverre Huber Kaas.
The coach of the Norwegian national team, Sverre Huber Kaas, has given his point of view on the situation and asserts that he has no personal problems with Karoline Knotten .
“It was never a personal attack on her. We had a very rough programme and training plan in place, which we wanted everyone in the team to support one hundred per cent. We then felt that she wasn’t capable of doing that, and that’s why we chose not to take her any further.”
For him, collective trust is essential. He assures us that adjustments are possible. He also rejects the idea of dictatorship put forward by Karoline Knotten.
“There will always be room for adjustments, but we can’t make them in advance. They have to be created as and when they’re needed. We spoke to all the girls in the team. Some conversations happened relatively quickly, and some discussions took a little longer. We don’t want there to be a dictatorship. We’re trying to create a system that everyone trusts and is easy to identify with.”
For the time being,there is no longer any dialogue between the biathlete and her coach, even though Sverre Huber Kaas is well aware of Karoline Knotten ‘s qualities and is not closing the door on a comeback.
“I think that the programme she is now going to organise will be fantastic and that she will have every chance of performing at a very high level. We know what she represents,” he concludes.
Read also
- Biathlon | “I don’t understand this decision”: Karoline Knotten makes no secret of her displeasure at being dropped from Norway’s squad for next season
- Biathlon | “A flagrant injustice”: Marte Olsbu Roeiseland’s reaction to the ousting of Karoline Knotten
- Biathlon | Martin Uldal and Vebjoern Soerum promoted, Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen retained, Karoline Knotten out of the squad: Norway’s selections for the 2025/2026 season
