Bad news for the Swedish Ski Federation: Cross-country skiers Frida Karlsson and Maja Dahlqvist have decided to leave the Swedish national team. Another athlete had already jumped in Linn Svahn.
The exodus in the Swedish national cross-country team continues. It was only in mid-May that 22-year-old Linn Svahn announced that she would not return to the state selection after her serious shoulder injury and that she would like to prepare for the competitions on her own. Anders Bystrom, boss of Sweden’s national cross-country skiing team, was “sad” afterwards. In Svahn, the team lost “a wonderful personality”.
But now Bystrom has to digest the next setback, according to the newspaper “Aftonbladet” it is a real “shock news”. Both 22-year-old Frida Karlsson, twelfth in the last World Cup season, and 28-year-old Maja Dahlqvist, who even finished tenth, no longer want to compete for the national team.
Lars Öberg, Sweden’s cross-country manager, confirmed: “I am saddened that Frida and Maja no longer want to be part of the national team as we see that our national team model has really made a strong contribution to our progress.”
The new German discipline coach is Karlsson’s coach
From the newspaper “Aftonbladet“When asked about the reasons, Öberg was covered. Out of respect, he didn’t want to go into detail.” However, the decisive factor for her departure was probably her lack of approval for new financial transport agreements. The association had decided with twelve out of 14 skiers agree, the deadline ended last Friday.
According to Öberg, the cross-country duo no longer wanted to take part in all meetings of the national team and instead wanted to prepare for several competitions on their own. “We had the feeling that it didn’t fit the Swedish model. Then the whole concept crumbles.”
Karlsson has had Per Nilsson, the new discipline coach for the German squad, as his personal trainer for several years. The cooperation should continue.
