PHOTO: Bildbyrån
Skid-Norge has been shaken up in recent days.
After Johannes Hösflot Kläbo’s announcement to leave the national team.
Now skiing icon Petter Northug goes on the attack after the departure of the big star.
It was on Sunday that the news came that Norway’s biggest ski star is currently choosing to leave the Norwegian national team. The giant Johannes Hösflot Kläbo has turned down the national skiing team and will train on his own instead.
Kläbo’s defection
A controversial decision that shakes up skiing Norway and has aroused a lot of strong opinions.
– He has made a choice not to participate. We have to respect that. I would have preferred to have him on the team. I was not prepared for Johannes to quit, said the Norwegian cross-country manager Espen Bjervig as the first word to NTB.
– With my resignation, the ski association has opportunities to reduce its costs and instead spend money on other athletes, said Kläbo himself in a press release.
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A lot of people have expressed themselves about the high-profile defection, and now even the outspoken one is giving in Peter Northug into the debate. The skiing icon recognizes himself in this, as he also left the Norwegian national team during his active career.
– I had to have something new. I felt that I was used a lot internally with marketing assignments and also did a lot externally. Without feeling like I got anything back. It gnawed at me, says Northug to the Norwegian TV channel TV2.
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Northug critical
Northug thinks that the national team’s sponsors demand too much from the big star Kläbo and airs his harsh criticism against them.
– I think Johannes recognizes himself in my situation here. Sponsors who invest money in Norwegian national team skiers have dollar signs in their eyes and want to use him, says the Norwegian, who now works as an expert.
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Petter Northug also strongly criticizes the Norwegian Skiing Association for escalating the situation and forcing Johannes Hösflot Kläbo out.
– They seem unprepared for the whole situation. They have not taken it seriously that Team Kläbo wants to leave the national team because there has been too little dialogue and communication. They do not offer the package that Kläbo should have in order to accept, says the expert to the Norwegian TV channel.
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