Ski Jumping Scandal: Severin Freund Speaks Out on Norwegian TV

Ski Jumping Scandal: Severin Freund Speaks Out on Norwegian TV

Ex-world champion and ZDF expert Severin Freund has made his voice heard regarding the system criticism related to the recent ski jumping scandal.

In an interview with the broadcaster NRK on the sidelines of the World Cup in Vikersund, the 36-year-old emphasized his call for a radical overhaul of measures to combat fraud in ski jumping and made his suggestions concrete.

Freund stated, "There is a problem with the system. As a former ski jumper and now a fan, it was shocking to see how far the Norwegians went. That’s something I can't comprehend and didn't expect."

The overall World Cup winner of 2015 noted that it is concerning when such a serious fraud attempt occurs at the World Championships in Trondheim: "They clearly didn't think about the significant consequences." This situation highlights a need for change, with Freund advocating for clearer rules concerning sanctions and the implications of disqualifications for the future.

He pointed out that the current regulations have created a culture where teams are willing to take risks during a home World Championships: "The penalties are evidently not harsh enough. In the end, we need to create an environment where jumpers and teams think: Okay, we may have an idea, but we don't want to take the risk because too much is at stake."

Recently, top Norwegian athletes Marius Lindvik and Johann Andre Forfang, along with Robert Johansson and Kristoffer Eriksen Sundal, were suspended due to proven fraudulent manipulation of their suits during the World Championships in Trondheim. In response to the scandal, the FIS introduced new regulations: until the end of March, each jumper must have only one suit, which will be withheld by the federation 30 minutes before the first jump and 30 minutes after the last jump.