Norway's ski team admits trying to ‘cheat the system' with manipulated suits for world championships event
Marius Lindvik and Johann André Forfang both competed in the men's large hill ski jumping event in the Norwegian city of Trondheim on Saturday, but were later disqualified when their suits were found to contain a reinforced thread.
Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, Jan-Erik Aalbu, the general manager of the Norwegian Ski Federation, admitted that the manipulation of the suits amounted to cheating.
'The support system has explained that, on Friday, they chose to put a reinforced thread in the jumpsuit of Forfang and Lindvik,' Aalbu said. 'This was done knowing that this is not within the regulations, but with a belief that it would not be discovered by FIS' equipment controller.
'The way I consider this, we have cheated. We have tried to cheat the system. That is unacceptable.'
Aalbu also said that the athletes had only used the manipulated suits for the men's large hill event and not for any other competition at the world championships.
In a statement, skiing global governing body FIS said that Lindvik and Forfang were disqualified 'following an inspection of their jumping suits, which were not in compliance with the equipment rules.'
It added: 'The FIS Independent Ethics and Compliance Office is now investigating a suspicion of illegal manipulation of the equipment by the Norwegian team.'
CNN has contacted the Norwegian Ski Association for further comment.
In posts on social media, both Lindvik and Forfang said that they did not know their suits had been manipulated for the individual large hill competition.
In a post on his Instagram Stories, Forfang said that he was 'beyond devastated' to have been disqualified, adding: 'These World Championships were supposed to be a week of dreams, but instead, they ended in tragedy.'
'It is important for me to emphasize that I was never aware that my suit had been manipulated. 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.
'At the same time, I am relieved to ensure you that Saturday was the first time I jumped with this suit. As athletes we are responsible for ensuring that our suits fit properly. However, I have not had routines in place to check the finer details of the work being done – such as seams. This is a heartbreaking situation not just for me, but everyone who loves our sport.'
Lindvik called the situation a 'nightmare' and said that he felt 'broken and sad,' writing on an Instagram Story: 'I did not know that my suit was being manipulated and I would never ha(ve) used it if I knew. It's hard for me to put words on what I feel right now.'
The 26-year-old Lindvik, an Olympic gold medalist, had initially won a silver in the large hill competition before being disqualified. He also won golds in the normal hill and mixed team large hill competitions at the world championships, with both of those results standing.
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