In terms of sport, there was hardly anything to complain about for the Norwegian biathlon team last season. But now the dominant nation in the Men’s World Cup could face trouble off the track. The reason for this is a controversial sponsorship.
In January, the Norwegian biathlon federation NSSF launched a climate campaign to draw attention to the fact that they are “impatiently awaiting action on climate change”. At the same time, they demanded that politicians hurry up with appropriate measures.
The campaign, which was dubbed “Snow Crystal”, would not play a real role in the appearance of the team, reports “NRK”. That such a campaign by the Norwegian biathlon team even existed could be proven simply by the fact that the logo was printed on the team’s jackets.
In addition, the NSSF has a partner in the petrol station operator YX who does not stand for the values that the team actually wants to represent with their campaign. This calls the environmental organization Greenpeace onto the scene, which has harshly criticized the biathlon association
Norwegian Biathlon Federation defends itself against criticism
“Fossil fuel companies sponsoring Norwegian skiing are like the tobacco industry sponsoring the Norwegian Cancer Society,” Greenpeace Norway head Frode Pleym rumbles to NRK, adding, “YX contributes to snowmelt and threatens the very existence of skiing .”
“I think that winter sports should not be sponsored by such companies. It creates a dilemma. Winter sports help to legitimize further emissions,” adds Norwegian environmental activist Gina Gylver.
“She should have a debate and cancel the agreement when it expires. This would show that the time for new large-scale fossil fuel projects is over,” says the 22-year-old.
However, a quick reaction from the association is not to be expected. NSSF Secretary General Morten Djupvik stressed that terminating the contract was not a solution. “We think YX takes the climate as seriously as we do. I think it’s better if we find common solutions instead of just separating,” he explained.