Ski jumping: more and more declarations
On Thursday, the president of the ski association, Tove Moe Dyrhaug, also met journalists. ” The last few days have been difficult for Norwegian special jumping”, she said. Members of her national team admitted cheating in the men’s big hill competition at the World Championships in Trondheim (Norway). It was discovered that a rigid material had been sewn into the seams of the suits, which may have given the jumpers better flying ability. Athletes Marius Lindvik and Johann André Forfang (who said they knew nothing about it), along with three members of staff and Truls Johansen, from the Nordic combined team’s technical staff, have been suspended by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS).
“We are currently in the investigation phase and will come back with the facts when we have them,” she added, without providing any new information. Earlier in the day, Sandro Pertile, Director of Ski Jumping at the FIS, had added Robin Pedersen, Kristoffer Eriksen Sundal and Robert Johansson to the list of people removed from the race. This time, it was because of “additional suspicions of manipulation”. In front of the media, however, he refused to elaborate. ” Of course, we can’t release all the details, but I think we’re on the right track to clarifying the matter”, he added.
Stine Korsen, chair of the Norwegian Ski Federation’s ski jumping committee, has resigned. “ I’m taking my responsibilities and I’m leaving”, she said, as reported in the daily Nettavisen. She admitted that she was shocked when she heard the news. In her opinion, Tove Moe Dyrhaug and ski jumping director Jan Erik Aalbu should not leave their positions.
Anders Fannemel has been appointed interim coach, as announced in a press release on Wednesday. The name of Slovenian Bine Norcic, in charge of Group B, had previously been put forward.
“There will be a lot of work to do to restore the confidence and reputation of Norwegian ski jumping, particularly on the men’s side”, assured the president of the federal association.
“If cheating, by definition
means wearing a suit
a little too big, then yes
I cheated.Anders Jacobsen, former jumper, retired in 2015
The least we can say is that this is going to be a major undertaking. In recent days, the Pandora’s box has been wide open. ” It’s something everyone does,” Olympic champion Daniel-André Tande told NRK about cheating in ski jumping. Johan Remen Evensen, former world record holder in ski jumping and now a consultant for the public television channel, documented the comments made by the Olympic champion and world champion who retired a year ago. He admitted to having competed on several occasions using equipment that he knew contravened the rules of the International Ski Federation. He also changed his outfit between runs.
“If cheating, by definition, means wearing a wetsuit that’s a bit too big, then yes, I cheated”, admitted their compatriot Anders Jacobsen, for whom most of the athletes would be disqualified if the controls were effective.
These statements annoyed Michel Vion, General Secretary of the FIS. “The rules are clear. It’s out of the question to accept that some people are above them”, insisted the Frenchman at the press conference held on Thursday afternoon in Oslo, on the sidelines of Raw Air.
“Instead of investigating Norway alone, the FIS should conduct an internal enquiry and re-evaluate the way ski jumping is managed,” said Daniel-André Tande. He denounced what appeared to be favouritism.
The crisis appears to be deep-rooted, and the image of the Nordic discipline damaged. Toyota quickly terminated its sponsorship agreement with the Norwegian team. For its part, Nammo, another partner, demanded that its logo be removed from all equipment.
Even the outgoing President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach, has commented on recent events, expressing his sadness at what has happened. “We should also remember that this form of technological fraud does not only concern ski jumping. It also applies to cycling and other disciplines,” he said. ” There is absolutely no room for cheating, and we are taking all the details of this case seriously,” said Johan Eliasch, President of the International Ski Federation.
Read also
- Ski jumping: FIS suspends three more Norwegians after World Cup wetsuit scandal
- Norwegian wetsuit scandal: new measures concerning the inspection policy for ski jumping and Nordic combined equipment
- Nordic Combined | Scandal in Trondheim: Truls Johansen, member of the Norwegian combined team’s technical staff, suspended in his turn
- Ski jumping | Norwegian ski suit scandal: FIS suspends Marius Lindvik and Johann Andre Forfang
- Ski jumping: the Norwegian ski jumping boss held a press conference following the announcement of the suspension of Marius Lindvik and Johann Andre Forfang.
- Nordic Combined | Trondheim: Joergen Graabak disqualified, Norway leaves first place to Austria after the jump in the team competition, France sixth
- Ski jumping: Magnus Brevig and Adrian Livelten, the two men involved in the wetsuit scandal, suspended by the Norwegian Ski Association
- Ski jumping | Norwegian wetsuit scandal: a third member of staff suspended
- Trondheim: earthquake during the Worlds springboard competition, Norway accused of cheating
- Trondheim Worlds: Norway admits cheating
