One day before the start of the Alpine World Cup, the Norwegian Lucas Braathen announced his immediate retirement, now he is returning – but will no longer ride for Norway.
It had been speculated for a long time, now it is certain: Slalom ace Lucas Braathen is making his comeback as a ski racer – although not for Norway, but for Brazil. “I feel joy and love. It means a lot to me to represent Brazil and my country in a new sport, that is something very big for me,” said the 23-year-old to the Brazilian media company Globo.
“It’s the right time”
Braathen, who previously drove for Norway, continued in the conversation: “I grew up with a love of sport, playing football with my cousins and friends on the streets of São Paulo. Now is the right time for me.” The 23-year-old wanted to “show that you can be a different person but still be one of the best in sport.”
The son of a Norwegian and a Brazilian woman resigned last October completely unexpectedly and in tears just a few days before the first World Cup race in a dispute with the Norwegian association.
Talent and bird of paradise
Braathen, one of the most colorful figures in the scene, is considered one of the most talented goal runners in the scene and already has five World Cup victories to his name, including the classics in Wengen 2022 and Adelboden 2023 (both Switzerland). Last season he won the Slalom World Cup. “The most important thing for me is to bring Brazilian culture, dancing and feelings into the sport,” said Braathen.
dispute over Marketing rights.
The dispute, which culminated in the resignation, was triggered by different opinions on personal and marketing rights. At the end of September, Braathen advertised for a Swedish clothing brand that is not one of the Norwegians’ official suppliers. Braathen emphasized that the association had it “treated disrespectfully”.
Braathen is not the first Norwegian ski athlete to have a dispute with his own association. The Skiforbundet forces all members of its teams to only use the outfitters specified by them. All the big stars like Johannes Kläbo, Petter Northug (both cross-country skiing) and Henrik Kristoffersen (alpine skiing) have had heated arguments with the association because of this.