Scandalous! Norwegian ski jumping team before World Cup discussion

Scandalous! Norwegian ski jumping team before World Cup discussion

A huge scandal is shaking the world of ski jumping: the Norwegian association is under fire because of allegations of manipulation. Sports director Jan-Erik Aalbu admitted that they had cheated: “We cheated and thus disappointed all ski jumping fans.” These statements come at a critical time, because the Austrian Ski Association (ÖSV) is demanding that all results of the Norwegian jumpers be withdrawn, especially in the context of the current World Championships. ÖSV managing director Christian Scherer sharply criticized Aalbus' lack of insight and called for personnel consequences. “It was very strange, arrogant and not credible,” said Scherer about Aalbu’s behavior.

At the heart of the controversy is an investigation by the FIS's independent ethics and compliance department, which is intended to clarify the disqualification of several athletes. This particularly affects Messrs. Lindvik and Forfang as well as Jörgen Graabak, who was eliminated from the team competition due to an irregular tie. FIS Secretary General Michel Vion emphasized that all suits can be checked through subsequent checks - if further violations come to light, disqualifications would be possible. This could significantly change concepts and results and have a significant impact on the results. This could mean that the ÖSV team could inherit the world title under certain circumstances, an unexpected turn of events for the Austrian athletes.

Possible changes to medalists

With the possible consequences of the investigation, athletes like Lisa Hirner could rise to world championship titles in women's singles. The pressure on the Norwegians is growing enormously and the situation is expected to worsen in the next few months. “If the suspicions are confirmed, they have to be dealt with,” warns ÖSV sports director Mario Stecher. In summary, thanks to these developments, the ÖSV could emerge from this World Cup with up to ten medals, which would make this World Cup one of the most successful in history. Italian or German ski jumps could come into focus: for example, ski jumps in Baiersbronn and Garmisch-Partenkirchen, which have long seen historic competitions, may now be exactly the places where the future of the sport will be decided.