New World Champion Comes Forward About Cheating: "Sprayed Our Jump Suits with Hairspray"

In a shocking confession, former world champion Andreas Küttel has admitted to using hairspray on his ski jump suits in order to improve performance by reducing air flow. This revelation highlights a troubling culture of cheating within the sport, drawing attention to the need for stricter regulations and oversight.

CHEATING: Former world champion Andreas Küttel confessed to spraying his jump suits with hairspray. Photo: Håkon Mosvold Larsen / NTB

Küttel made his confession during an interview, stating, "We sprayed our jump suits with hairspray to reduce air flow." He believes this widespread practice among ski jumpers often goes unchecked, especially after the first round of jumps, when inspections can be lax.

The allegations come amidst a broader scandal in ski jumping, particularly following recent disqualifications of athletes Marius Lindvik and Johann Forfang at the World Championships due to manipulation of their jump suits, leading to their suspensions.

In the wake of these events, ski jumping chief Jan-Erik Aalbu expressed the urgency for a change in how regulations are enforced, emphasizing the importance of transparency and fairness in the sport.

Küttel's statements arrive at a time when several former Norwegian jumpers, including Johan Remen Evensen, Anders Jacobsen, and Daniel-André Tande, have also acknowledged similar practices, further fueling discourse on integrity and competitive equity in ski jumping.

PODIUM: Küttel has previously shared the podium with notable figures in ski jumping.

As the ski jumping community grapples with these allegations, the hope is for a stronger emphasis on adhering to guidelines that promote fair play. "This sport needs to be fair for everyone from the start," emphasized Tande, pointing out how inconsistent enforcement can skew competition results.

Source: NRK Sport