Dark shadows in the sports paradise of Norway – behind each of them there is essentially the same explanation

The ministry distributes money to those who dont need it

The bloody feud between Kläbo and the union. Lightning termination of the Alpine comet. Embarrassing fluoride cream cart of another alpine star. The bitter family saga of the Ingebrigtsens. What is really going on in Norway? asks Pekka Holopainen.

Pekka Holopainen sports reporter

When the Olympic flame of the Beijing Winter Games went out on February 20, 2022, the record of success was familiar stuff. Norway, which achieved the all-time medal haul of 39 medals in the previous Games, broke the Winter Games winning record this time with 16 gold medals.

Under the games, it was reported that Gjert Ingebrigtsen would stop coaching his running boys of health for reasons. in Beijing John Hösflot Kläbo skied two of the three gold medals budgeted for him. A winner of the previous Games, an alpine skier Ragnhild Mowinckel failed to defend his medals. A young colleague Lucas Braathen drove out twice.

Jakob Ingebrigtsen’s older brother won three gold medals at the 2022 World Championships and European Championships by Henrik Ingebrigtsen the exercise programs I did.

Fossil armor

A cartridge worth just under 1,300 billion euros was found in Norway’s state oil fund last week. If you divide the amount among every resident of the fjord region, each person will have about 245,000 euros.

When the country’s economy is so fossil-armored, there is enough free time to watch a soap opera. That’s what Norwegian top sports have offered at least for the whole autumn, because of or thanks to the quartet mentioned above.

Kläbo has fought against his own ski association and dug out of his kikkapak even harsh accusations about the inferior treatment of the national team staff. Ingebrigtsen’s brothers had remained silent about why the rift with their father is total, until they came to the media with drastic claims. Norway’s most expensive lawyer is now standing by his father’s side John Christian Eldenso Norway’s most watched family saga will continue for a long time.

Eccentric and personable, During the Milan fashion weeks Lucas Braathen, who grabbed women’s wefts, ended his career like a wall. He got tired of arguing with the ski association and wanted to be “free”.

When the International Ski Federation FIS finally banned fluoride creams completely, the historic opening came to the dismay of many in Norway: fluoride cream was found on Mowinckel’s skis at the World Cup in Sölden.

Four stories

Four stories, several human destinies and, above all, superstars and personalities, even Norwegian sports organizations don’t know how to operate with such brash claims. Does anything connect the cases? Of course: every unifying reason is in the shape of the Norwegian crown.

Jakob Ingebrigtsen, who just moved into a 400-square-meter house and earns a couple of million euros a year, now pays for his brother’s coaching and helps Henrik maintain a lifestyle that he could not otherwise afford.

In order to resolve the conflict between Kläbo and the federation, it was necessary, “surprisingly”, that the sprint cannon gets more freedom with its own sponsors and the claims presented by them. When this was resolved after negotiations with the sports association, there has been no news of unfair treatment of the staff since then.

It can be assumed that Braathen, who is oppressed by the union’s gallows, will experience less anxiety if he is allowed to make more use of his market value in the future. You know, even in this season, the guy could ride the race slope and still feel that he is free.

Austrian prophet

When Mowinckel got cold feet in Sölden, he was quick to assert his innocence and praise the morale of the Norwegian team. Of course, it would be cynical to think that Norway’s maintenance would have mistakenly thought that they had found a philosopher’s stone to cheat the fluoride test – and to wing the success in terms of cold hard cash as well.

Since no one is a prophet in his own country, the high priest of sports ethics arrived in Norway as an import. My Norwegian colleague recently asked the head coach of the country’s national ski jumping team for 13 years From Alexander Stöckl, to which this would compare being caught in an illegal jumpsuit. The Austrian answered: “To advance in the long jump.”

Pekka Holopainen

The author is a columnist based in Pori and the only sports reporter who has been selected as Journalist of the Year in Finland.

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