The Norwegian Ski Association is believed to have given up in the dispute against Johannes Hösflot Kläbo. According to Petter Northug, the end result of the saga is a big image loss.
The Ruka World Cup will be held on the 24th–26th. November on channels. The races start on Friday at 10:45 a.m. broadcast by Urheilustudio.
The international cross-country skiing season kicks off this weekend, when the first World Cup competitions of the season take place in Ruka.
On Monday, it was confirmed that the Norwegian skiing champion Johannes Hösflot Kläbo has recovered from the corona virus and participates in all ski trips in Ruka, i.e. the sprint, the traditional 10 and the 20 kilometer freestyle skiing together. Kläbo had contracted the corona virus at the beginning of the month at his high camp in Livigno, Italy.
Before the ski season, the most heated topics have been the fluoride ban and its implications for the upcoming Games, as well as megastar Kläbo’s conflict with the Norwegian Ski Association. The 27-year-old Norwegian, a multiple World Cup and Olympic winner and who dominated the World Cup for years, withdrew from the national team already in the summer.
Kläbo has a special contract
In the summer and autumn, Kläbo hid for a long time with his country’s association, and at times it even seemed possible that the Norwegian star would not be seen in this season’s World Cup. The rules of the Norwegian Skiing Association state that an athlete cannot compete in the World Cup if he has not signed the athlete contract required by the association.
In mid-October, however, the Norwegian finally reached a representation agreement with the union. The contract obliged Kläbo to give up its sponsor’s logo on the national team uniform.
The new contract also includes liberties regarding own sponsors and claims presented by them. Kläbo therefore has the same commercial freedoms as those athletes who do not belong to the national team.
Just two days later, the head of cross-country skiing at the Norwegian Ski Association Espen Bjervig expressed a desire to continue negotiations. However, Kläbo’s team wanted to stick to the previously agreed upon agreement and the union let it be.
Like other skiers, Kläbo has not signed a normal athlete contract. So he skis in the World Cup with the help of a special contract.
NRK’s expert Jan Petter Saltvetd felt that the country’s ski association had given up in Kläbo’s case. He does use the federation’s sponsors in his ski clothing in competitions, but outside the competitions he has commercial freedoms.
The Norwegian association is therefore not able to fully utilize Kläbo in its marketing. According to Saltvedt, an agreement has been made with Kläbo, which is against the rules of the country’s skiing association.
Criticism of the union from other skiing stars
Käbo’s freedoms have been perceived as opening a can of worms in Norwegian skiing. He serves as an example for other Norwegian skiers who refuse to represent the national team.
– It is as good as it can be for him. It’s a gift package, top skier Emil Iversen comments on Kläbo’s contract NRK’s by.
Iversen’s last season was difficult and he was dropped from the national team. However, Iversen started the season strongly last weekend in Beitostölen and was selected for the Ruka World Cup. Like Kläbo, Iversen is now an athlete outside the national team.
Norwegian legend Petter Northug also commented on the Kläbo team’s winning battle against the ski bosses.
– I think they are satisfied with the agreement. Now they can put this matter aside and focus on winning the overall World Cup.
According to Northug, the saga has been a big image loss for the Norwegian federation.
– Unfortunately, communication has been bad since the moment they started discussing the contract. That’s how it can be when you’re outside the national team and you’re as big a name as Johannes is, Northug stated.
Northug says that in his career too, the union handled things badly. He left the national team in 2013.
Iversen hopes that the country’s association will communicate better in the direction of skiers.
– The whole thing looks very strange, he referred to the friction between Kläbo and the Norwegian federation.
The Ruka World Cup will be held on the 24th–26th. November on channels. The races start on Friday at 10:45 a.m. broadcast by Urheilustudio.