PHOTO: Bildbyrån
Not a single cross-country skier was nominated for the Sports Gala.
Now the Swedish national ski team is acting by refusing to come.
– We were upset, national team manager Anders Byström admits in “Viaplay Winter Podcast”.
It was on Monday that the Sports Gala released its nominations and aroused strong emotions throughout sports Sweden. Because there were so many blue-yellow heroes who celebrated enormous successes during the past year.
Angry at the Sports Gala
The hockey people got angry because Erik Karlsson, who was named the world’s best defender in the NHL, was completely overlooked and snubbed when Swedish athletes are to be celebrated. The national ski team also feels unfairly treated and has directed clear criticism at the Sports Gala.
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Which is completely justified as Sweden had its best WC ever and set a record for the number of medals during this year’s Ski WC. Jonna Sundling and Ebba Andersson won two WC golds each Frida Karlsson took medals in all WC races and won the Tour de Ski last season.
The national team acts
But still, all skiers are snubbed in the nominations for the Sports Gala. Nor is it included in the “Team of the Year” category, and the national team manager can do that Anders Byström don’t understand at all, see the video below.
– We were upset. It’s not the biggest thing in the world, of course, but I think it’s strange, it’s strange. It’s like I said, what else can we do? We break the world record with twelve medals and get no nomination, he says in the new podcast “Viaplay Winter Podcast”.
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Now the national ski team chooses to act and completely cancels the gala on January 22nd, which celebrates 25 years. The national team manager now justifies why.
– We are in the middle of the season, so it is usually difficult to get people there anyway, but when we are not nominated, it is not relevant. It might be someone from the confederation who comes there, but no one from the national team, Byström reveals in the podcast.
READ MORE: Huge criticism of the Sports Gala after the controversial decision that arouses fury: “Close the gala – disgusting”
Anders Byström also admits that they haven’t heard anything from the Sports Gala about why Swedish skiing has been completely ignored despite the best WC performance of all time.
– What happens if we only take 10 medals at the next WC? Yes, then we really have no chance! No, strange. But I haven’t received any justification so I don’t know how they reason, says the national team manager in the interview, see the video below.
What do you think of the nominations for the Sports Gala? Share the article and have your say!
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