Petter Kukkonen, a ski jumping expert, explains why the costume has been allowed to continue for 10 to 15 years and how it could eventually get rid of it.
– It’s sad that nothing has been learned, Petter Kukkonen sighs.
Norwegian costumes did not come as a surprise to the former head coach of the Finnish combined national team.
– We have seen quite similar issues over 10 to 15 years by different countries. This time it happened to be Norway, Kukkonen continues.
Previously, the manipulation of equipment has been attempted to print on wool, but now that as many as five Norwegian people have been in their home race, the biggest scandal in ski jump history is ahead.
– Now that this finally struck the eyes of everyone, it opens a place to change things. It’s the only thing why you can be happy because of the scandal.
“New Normal”
According to Kukkonen, the prolonged gimmick of the costumes is due to the inability of the International Ski Association (FIS) to intervene in instrument testing and development and the desire of countries using power to defend their own interests.
– When the culture is moldy and it is new to all countries as normal, stretching the rules is silent, says Kukkonen.
The man was the head coach of the united national team in Finland from 2012 to 2022. Prior to that, he coached five years of Estonian combined and ski jumping national teams.
– I know that most national teams have done similar game movements here and there. Of course it’s really wrong, but there is no other option if you want to do it. It is done in the background all the time, but very rarely gets stuck, Kukkonen says.
Problem
Petter Kukkonen hopes that the ski jumping suit will finally be controlled. Pasi Liesimaa
Initially, FIS bosses did not want to comment on Norwegian actions. No contacts were answered. Eventually, the union announced that it would begin an investigation.
– This is the core of the whole problem. As FIS is investigating the problem he has caused, it is quite easy to guess what kind of conclusion we can get here, Kukkonen says.
Later, FIS announced that the case would be investigated by an outside body. However, this body is chosen by the union and its name was not made public.
However, it is clear that FIS does not want to give the biggest superstars hard to compete, as it would be a pure stupidity for business.
– Fortunately, there are other parties to complain about, Kukkonen points out.
However, the task is not easy. That Kukkonen was noticed by himself as he tried to catch the scammers with a cunning trick before the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.
“An explosive thing”
The combined World Cup was held in January 2022 in Seefeld, Austria, just a moment before the Beijing Olympics.
Kukkonen and his assistant coach Falko krismyr Preparing the counter -procedures with lawyers and contacted the Innsbruck court.
– We paid a tenth ton for the gig, Kukkonen recalls.
The men’s hopes was that the local police would do a dress in the World Cup in the World Cup.
-The idea was to make the same type of police rope as the Seefeld World Championships in 2019, when blood doping was used for the Austrian team.
Kukkonen wanted to implement his plans in Austria, because the country’s manipulation is strongly prohibited by law.
– It would have been an explosive thing there.
However, the plan failed.
– Because of the scheduling reasons we failed. They did not take the matter because we left the announcement too late. They didn’t have time to prepare for it.
Stakes
In the opinion of Kukkonen, the International Skiing Association must, nevertheless, have the opportunity to do the right thing now. If the problems are swept under the carpet again, Kukkonen hopes that someone would dare to take the matter forward to the outside for examination.
Such a party could be, for example, the international arbitration of the sport, CAS, which is the highest international complaint and appeal body independent of sports organizations.
– Something should just have enough courage, money and a desire to find out.
So far, these features have not been found in the yolks. Kukkonen understands it well.
– Many sports federations are involved in this game. And if it is somehow demonstrated that you have made some kind of chill over the years, then …
Many sports federations would have to think about whether they would be frightened at the same time.
-And what would that mean to one’s credibility, media visibility, TV contracts and other partners? It’s not an easy thing to go because the stakes are tough.
Model for orienteering?
Ski jumping legend Janne Ahonen told In an interview with YLEthat costumes can achieve even greater benefits than doping.
Kukkonen agrees. Therefore, he hopes that instruments will be sanctions similar to that of doping.
– I do not want to comment on the situation in Norway because there are no similar precedents, but when the athletes visited the Military Orienteering World Championships in China, they and coaches received 2-4 years of racing and official ban on …
– Is the same measure in this case correct? I do not comment on that, but when the ski jumping equipment is sanctioned, the punishment must be so severe that it will no longer go on that road.