Scandal at the Ski Jumping World Championships Draws Strong Reactions in Norway

Scandal at the Ski Jumping World Championships Draws Strong Reactions in Norway

Norway has acknowledged that they manipulated their ski jumping uniforms during the world championships, which has triggered intense backlash within the country.

• This is referred to as the biggest scandal in ski jumping history in both Norway and Europe, says NRK sports commentator Jan Petter Saltvedt.

During the weekend, a hidden camera video revealed that Norwegian uniforms had an illegal stiffer seam in the pants, designed to create more wind resistance and allow for longer jumps. Initially, Norway denied the allegations before ultimately admitting the truth.

• We cheated, we tried to circumvent the rules. This is unacceptable, said sports director Jan-Erik Aalbu during a press conference.

Jumpers Marius Lindvik and Johann André Forfang were disqualified, and the scandal has led to significant discourse in their home country. Saltvedt notes that there has been an overwhelming reaction in Norway, recalling that the focus is now solely on this scandal rather than on the successes of athletes like Johannes Høsflot Kläbo in Trondheim.

• Ski jumping as a sport is facing a major credibility issue now. Very few really believe this is the first time Norway has tried to bypass regulations, and no one thinks Norway is the only one who has attempted this, he added.

On Thursday, competitions in the World Cup are set to take place in Holmenkollen, undoubtedly overshadowed by the revelations that have come to light.

• This is being labeled as the greatest scandal in ski jumping history both in Norway and Europe. For the first time, despite years of rumors, we have an admission of cheating, said Saltvedt.