The Norwegian Ski Federation has suspended two staff members, including the team coach, after admitting that the Norway ski jumping team cheated at the Nordic World Ski Championships by tampering with their jumpsuits.
The federation announced that the ski jumping committee had requested the suspension of national team coach Magnus Brevik and equipment manager Adriaan Livelten after two Norwegian athletes were disqualified.
In a statement, the federation said: “The information that has emerged so far about the events… is so serious that it provides grounds for suspending their employment.” Acting general secretary Ola Keul mentioned that the suspensions took effect immediately and would continue until further notice.
Stine Korsen, the chair of the ski jumping committee, stated that Norway would fully support an investigation by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) into the incident.
Korsen expressed: “We take this matter very seriously and recognise that equipment has been deliberately manipulated in violation of FIS regulations in order to gain an advantage in the competition.”
The federation confirmed that Bine Norcic will temporarily take over as the coach while Magnus Brevik is suspended.
Athletes Marius Lindvik and Johann Andre Forfang, who finished in second and fourth place, respectively, in the men’s large hill competition at the Nordic World Ski Championships, were disqualified after it was discovered that their jumpsuits had been altered.
Livelten, the suspended equipment manager, apologised to the athletes and said: “I would like to apologise to Marius and Johann for the situation they have found themselves in through no fault of their own… What we did with the suits should never have happened and is an action I will regret for the rest of my life. We have always done what we can to optimise the suits within the regulations, but cheating is completely unacceptable.”