A growing cheating scandal has rocked the sport of ski jumping, with three more Norwegian athletes being suspended for suspected manipulation of their jump suits. The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) announced the provisional suspensions of Robin Pederson, Kristoffer Eriksen Sundal, and Robert Johansson on Thursday. They join Olympic gold medalists Marius Lindvik and Johann André Forfang, who were suspended on Wednesday.
The suspensions come after allegations that Norwegian team officials altered jump suits to improve aerodynamics, helping athletes to jump farther. FIS was initially asked to examine all the jump suits used by Norway at the World Championships in Trondheim last week. While no irregularities were found at first, further investigation uncovered signs of potential manipulation, prompting the additional suspensions.
As a result, Pederson, Sundal, and Johansson are now barred from participating in any FIS or national ski association events.
“The rules are quite clear. The rules are made by the entire ski community,” said FIS Secretary General Michel Vion. He emphasized that ski jumping, despite its technical limits, must adhere to these rules. “There is no game here. There’s only rules,” he added.
The full extent of the suit manipulation practice within the sport is still unclear. Lindvik and Forfang, who have both won Olympic gold, have denied any knowledge of the altered equipment. However, their coach Magnus Brevig and equipment manager Adrian Livelten admitted to the manipulation and were subsequently removed from their roles.
The FIS independent ethics and compliance office will conduct a thorough investigation into the matter. Sandro Pertile, FIS race director for ski jumping, stated that while the situation is difficult for the sport, the investigation is progressing and that they are on track to clarify the situation. “We are dealing with intentional manipulation, and while we cannot release all the details, we are confident we will resolve the issue,” Pertile said.
In response to the controversy, FIS confirmed that all jump suits will be inspected during the World Cup event in Oslo. The scandal has sent shockwaves through the ski jumping community, but the FIS remains committed to maintaining the integrity of the sport.