Consequences After Ski Jumping Scandal

Consequences After Ski Jumping Scandal

Following the scandal involving manipulated ski suits in the Norwegian ski jumping team, the first sponsor is taking action with clear statements.

It was a shock that shook the ski jumping world. On Sunday afternoon, the sports director of the Norwegian team admitted at a press conference, "We cheated." It didn't take long before the first sponsor reacted to the "huge scandal," as Norwegian journalist Mina Finstad Berg described it for TV2.

The insurance company HELP announced in a conversation with the broadcaster NRK that it would terminate sponsorship with immediate effect. HELP Forsikring had already been a sponsor of the Norwegian ski jumping national team for six seasons.

Before the Nordic Ski World Championship in Trondheim, HELP had announced intentions not to renew the partnership once the current contract expired. The sponsorship contract was set to end on May 1. However, the withdrawal is happening sooner than expected.

"It is sad that Norwegian ski jumping has lost trust in just a few days," said Dag Are Börresen, head of communications at HELP.

HELP Withdraws as First Sponsor

"We have informed the ski jumping national team and the Norwegian Ski Federation that we are withdrawing from the sponsorship contract with immediate effect and will remove our logo from the athletes' suits and other materials before the Raw Air and Holmenkollen ski festival," the statement continued.

The behavior of the Norwegian team does not align with the company's philosophy: "HELP's vision is: 'Right should be right. For everyone.' It goes without saying that our logo will not be found on the jerseys of a team that cheats," Börresen added.

With the sponsor's withdrawal, the federation will also feel the first financial consequences of the "huge scandal."