Association initiates legal steps
Streit escalated: the next ski star disqualified
01.02.2025 – 12:14 p.m.Reading time: 2 min.
The Slovenian ski jumping team had to accept three disqualifications in less than seven days. Now the association is pulling the consequences.
A violent discussion has flared up in the SkiSprung World Cup. The Slovenian team is at the center of the debate. After several disqualifications within the team, the association has a guess – and is now apparently threatened with legal steps.
What happened? Slovenia initially took the lead in Willingen on Thursday, then ski jumper Timi Zajc was disqualified. Spicy: Zajc had won a week ago in Oberstdorf when his teammates Anže Lanišek and Lovro Kos had been disqualified.
National coach Stefan Horngacher then spoke of a “bitter aftertaste”, because: “If two are disqualified and one wins, that’s a bit strange,” said the DSV coach.
The next chapter followed promptly in Willingen. ZAJC were deleted from the first round due to too large steps. Secondly, he was allowed to jump with the same suit – this time everything was compliant. After landing, the 24-year-old provoked with tunal gestures towards the jury. Ex-professional Sven Hannawald called the spectacle “ridiculous” and “a theater”. Linišek later demonstratively put his finger on his mouth.
Afterwards Zajc then let his anger run free. “A circus was created during ski jumping,” he later summed up at the Slovenian radio station “RTV”. He assumed that his team was deliberately slowed down to give the German jumpers an advantage at the home competition. The Slovenian Ski Association also spoke up. In a statement that “Sport.de” has, it was emphasized that the recent disqualifications are considered unjustified.
The association has already officially pointed out the FIS “that the recent decisions in the equipment control have doubts about compliance with clear and equal rules. The disqualification of Timi ZAJC increases the impression that the equipment controls are not only the rules, but also adhere to certain guidelines. “
The Slovenes therefore believe that inspectors have knowledge of certain rules, but the controllers do not. Those responsible therefore announced that they collect all relevant data and present the case of higher instances. There will be another explanation in the coming week as soon as the legal and formal steps are initiated.
The drama around the disqualifications shakes memories of the mixed at the 2022 Olympics in Beijing. At that time, five top jumpers had been disqualified-including Katharina Schmid. At that time, the German team only remained ninth. In contrast, it had recently been enough for gold at World Championships.
On Saturday, individual jumping for women (12.30 p.m.) and men (16.00) are on the program, on Sunday only the men (from 4.10 p.m. in the live ticker at T-online) are in use.