Hustling in Trondheim: Actually, the last day of the Nordic Ski World Cup was supposed to be about ski jumping, instead the focus was on the Norwegians with manipulated suits.
When jubilee pictures were already seen in the Granåsen stadium on the big screen and the names of the three, which had previously jumped on the podium, appeared in large letters, the interview zone suddenly became hectic. Responsible for the associations looked questioningly in the faces of the waiting journalists, many of them looked at the displays of their cell phones in disbelief.
In the app of the International Ski Association FIS, behind the name of the ski jumper Johann Andre Forfang, the info on: disqualified. The reason: Suit manipulation, i.e. manipulation of the suit. A message as a preliminary low point of a turbulent day.
First Eriksen sunddal, then the rest
Because Forfang should not remain the only Norwegian who appeared as “disqualified” in the official list of results. Kristoffer Eriksen had already been disqualified during the first round, and Marius Lindvik also after his second jump. “It was a great competition in itself, the bottom line was that it was a great World Cup in the mother country of skiing, and now comes to an end with such a story, which did not deserve ski jumping,” said Horst Hüttel, sports director of the Sportschau.
The fact that that colorful World Cup in the area of ski jumping should be one with at least significantly more shades of gray had already become apparent before the disqualifications. Because already before the competition, there had been heated discussions about possibly not compliant suits of the Norwegian team. Several videos were already circulating online at night. To see on it: sewing work on suits. Filmed behind a black curtain, the Norwegian coach Markus Breivik can also be seen, which is in the room where the sewing machine is used.
“Videos have extremely high suspicion”
“The videos clearly show an extremely high suspicion of manipulation“, Said Hüttel. With Austria, Poland and Slovenia, three nations made the FIS protest. “Because, according to our opinion, one cannot guarantee that these suits that are jumped also correspond to the regulations”, Florian Liegl, sporting director of the Austrian ski jumper, said the sports show. The DSV did not join the protest. “We see a significant need for processing”so Hüttel.
The responsible persons of the Norwegian association had an explanation for the recordings. “This is our husband, who prepares new suits for the wooden scooters. This is nothing special,” said Jan Erik Aalbu, sports director Ski jumping Norway. Christian Kathol, material controller of the FIS, still explained – he had broken all the suits before the competition started. “
“In peace, the suits checked”
The FIS finally rejected the protest, but then disqualified after the first round sundal, forfang and Linkdvik after their second jump. “In the end we were able to control the suits in peace, and you could see that something was not compliant”said Sandro Pertile, race director of the FIS, in the sports show. A different material was found in the seams of the suits. “In principle, a stiff band has been sewn in from the knee to the step,” said Andreas Widhölzl, head coach of the Austrians. “And that is clearly a manipulation and not allowed.” It is also good that this would be sanctioned.
Widhölzl looked like his trainer colleagues, but at least irritated by the process. There are always discussions about the material. “But that’s a clear case now,” said Widhölzl, who demanded that in addition to the chip system with which the suits are checked, there was a larger team for the checks.
“Things happening that are unacceptable”
“To trumpet out of the emotion, that doesn’t help,” tried to control national coach Stefan Horngacher. “But there are a few things that are completely unacceptable.” Although everyone would do their best at such a World Cup. Horngacher demanded information so that trust was not lost.
Thurnbichler: “Is to be equated with doping”
Sportschau expert Sven Hannawald is also convinced that ski jumping with the manipulation of the Norwegian team got more than just a scratch. “I can’t look at that. I live ski jumping, I love ski jumping. When I see something like that, that’s a no-go,” he said. And that is not alone.
Thomas Thurnbichler, Austrian head coach of the Polish team, shook in the interview zone, exactly where, like in the jumping camp, there was so much excitement, almost imperceptibly and could hardly believe what he had seen on the videos. “The head coach watches how suits are manipulated. This is equivalent to me with doping,” said Thurnbichler of the Sportschau. Whether he talked to coaching colleague Markus Breivik about it? “There is nothing more to say. Man is through me below. “
Speechlessness after manipulation
FIS racing director Pertile also seemed moved at the end of the turbulent day. “I think we have to understand the whole situation first,” said Pertile. “It’s a shame for me.” And so one thing remains with coaches, fans and those responsible: speechlessness.