Norwegian ski jumpers admit fraud
The scandalous last competition in the ski jumping stadium of Trondheim was followed by a bizarre last press conference in the host's hotel. « We cheated and disappointed all ski jumping fans, too, » said Jan Erik Aalbu, sports director of the Norwegian ski jumper, in the Scandic Lerkendal on Sunday afternoon. “I would like to apologize to the other teams, the jumpers, the sponsors and fans. We will get to the bottom of it. We will be as open as we can be. And you can be 100 percent sure that there will be consequences. » What sounds like an extensive confession and maximum transparency compared to the horrified world of skiing association is nothing more than a fog candle in a shade that throws a dark shadow on the atmospheric Nordic Ski World Championships in 2025.
Sandro Pertile, head of the Ski World Association FIS, said on Saturday evening in a grape of reporters: « I'm shocked. » It is about fundamental: Three Norwegians were disqualified on Saturday, which influenced medal allocation long after the end of the competition from the Großchanze because the second -placed Marius Lindvik was involved. It's about manipulation on the jump suits. This has explosive power and seems to be in the series of large World Cup scandals with blood doping 2019 in Seefeld and 2001 in Lahti. Because the fraud throws a completely different light on the World Cup. The medals collected by Norway in ski jumping (3 gold/0 silver/3 bronze) as well as in the Nordic combination (4/4/1) is liable.
Fraud in the ski jump: Change to suits of the athletes from Norway
Andreas Widhölzl, head coach of the Austrian ski jumper, said: « I assume that it was not the first time today. » The scandal triggered photos and videos from the night from Friday to Saturday, said Sandro Pertile. The source is anonymous. It is about changes to the suits. Therefore, all Norwegians were checked after the first round. It caught Kristoffer Eriksen Sundal. The Italian explained exactly why. “Otherwise we didn't find anything. After the second round we checked the top five in the container more closely, ”said Sandro Pertile, the suits were cut open. « Some had something. » By Johann André Forfang (fifth) and by Marius Lindvik (second). Both were disqualified for « manipulation ».
« It can be seen how a stiff ribbon is sewn into the suit that tightens it from the knee to the crotch, » said Widhölzl. « Of course that has an advantage. » Accordingly, Austria, Slovenia and Poland had filed protest before the competition against the start of the Norwegian. The Nations trio not only wanted to rule out the Norwegians, but apparently also requested a cancellation of all of their World Cup results in Trondheim. That was rejected. Until now.
DSV could be awarded by scandal medals
During the World Cup, the Norwegian ski jumper Ingvild Synnøve Midtskogen was previously disqualified by the large and normal ski jump (« suit », the result lists is the reason).
If the results of all Norwegians were canceled, this would give the SkiSprung division in DSV three further medals; Among other things, Andreas Wellinger on the Kleinschanze Gold. The 29-year-old was second a week earlier-behind Marius Lindvik. Jan Erik Aalbu answered the question of dozens of journalists as to whether Lindvik had carried the same suit, « I don't know. » The winding functionary only admitted what was already known and could not be denied
