Marius Lindvik and Johann Andre Forfang Mega(2)
A cheating scandal has rocked the world of ski jumping, and it’s all centered around the ski suits of two Olympic gold medalists.
Marius Lindvik and Johann André Forfang, who have both won ski jumping gold medals for Norway, were suspended on Wednesday, March 12, as part of an ongoing investigation into whether their suits had been manipulated in order to create extra lift.
Lindvik, 26, and Forfang, 29, were both disqualified from the Nordic World Ski Championships in Trondheim, Norway, which concluded on Sunday, March 9. The disqualifications came days after Lindvik finished 2nd in the men’s large hill event on Saturday, March 8. The two skiers combined to win a total of five medals at the Championships.
Three members of the Norwegian ski team’s staff — coach Magnus Brevik, assistant coach Thomas Lobben and service staff member Adrian Livelten — were also suspended by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) on Wednesday, after video of the suits being tampered with went public.
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An official from the Federation said the illegal alterations were made by tearing apart the seams of the crotch area on the team’s ski suits.
The Norwegian Ski Federation admitted to the allegations after the video evidence made the claim irrefutable.
Marius Lindvik Mega
“The way I consider this, we have cheated,” said Jan-Erik Aalbu, the general manager of the Norwegian Ski Federation, during a press conference on Sunday. “We have tried to cheat the system. That is unacceptable.”
While admitting guilt, the Norwegian Ski Federation maintains Lindvik and Forfang were unaware of the alterations.
Lindvik won gold in men’s large hill individual at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. At the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, Forfang won gold and silver medals in the men’s large hill team event and the men’s normal hill individual, respectively.
Johann Andre Forfang Mega
Both Lindvik and Forfang professed their innocence via social media after the manipulations were uncovered, according to Powder.com.
“This has been a nightmare. I’m broken and sad,” Lindvik posted via his Instagram Story.
Forfang wrote via his Story, “I have always had great trust in the staff, who have worked tirelessly to develop competitive equipment. But this time, a clear line was crossed.”
“The situation is obviously extremely disturbing and disappointing,” said Michael Vion, Secretary General of the FIS. “Since the weekend, both the FIS Independent Ethics and Compliance Office and the FIS administration have been working steadily to proceed with a broad and thorough investigation as swiftly as possible while also ensuring fairness and due process.”
He added, “By its nature, Ski Jumping is a discipline grounded in precision, in which equipment plays an important role. This is why, year after year, we have a strong focus on reviewing equipment regulations and controls: to ensure that competitors are on a level playing field.”
The World Cup season continues on Thursday, March 13 in Oslo, Norway. Neither Forfang or Lindvik will be allowed to compete.
