Great Ski Jumping Star Unemployed: He Faced Brutal Reality

Great Ski Jumping Star Unemployed: He Faced Brutal Reality

Daniel-Andre Tande, a Norwegian ski jumper who recently ended his career, admitted he is battling severe depression. On Friday, during the World Cup kickoff in Lillehammer, where he resides, he was a special guest on NRK television. The jumper revealed that he has registered as unemployed and has no plan for his life moving forward.

Tande spoke about the difficulties of daily life after retiring from sports. "I have so little to do every day that it’s hard for me to get out of bed, and later, when I do, I just lie on the couch all day. I have no plans, and my future feels empty and dark," he shared on NRK. The jumper admitted that his chances in the job market are slim, with only his name to his advantage.

A Tragic Accident in Planica

The decision to end Tande's career was linked to a dramatic accident in Planica in March 2021. During a competition, he fell just after leaving the jump and was transported to a hospital in Ljubljana, where he was put into a medically induced coma.

"Upon awakening, I realized that I had a close brush with death that day, and a psychological barrier arose," Tande explained. The fear of jumping became stronger than the joy of practicing the sport.

Tande, who competed in the World Cup since 2013, is an Olympic champion in the team event from Pyeongchang (2018) and a four-time gold medalist in ski flying world championships. Despite his sporting successes, he now has to face new challenges in life beyond the ski jump.

Source: Polish Press Agency