Disqualification and Stefan Huli appeared several dozen minutes after the end of the competition in Willingen. As Sport.pl learned, it was not about a routine inspection after the competition, but one prepared for a specific piece of equipment due to a protest brought by the German staff.
Stoeckl agrees with Horngacher. “The change in shoes was obvious”
– There was a protest. At the beginning, there was no disqualification, but since there was an officially filed protest from the German staff, we had to investigate the matter – explains Mika Jukkara, FIS equipment controller at the men’s competition. He later confirmed that Polish jumpers would not be allowed to use the new boots.
– he was furious that we took out new equipment just before the Olympics. He paid 500 francs and made an official protest against the shoes of our jumpers. He decided they were new. I think he also complained about our skis and overalls – says Jan Winkiel, secretary general of the Polish Ski Association, in an interview with Sport.pl.
Another foreign coach took the floor. – I have respect and a lot of recognition for the Polish staff, because this solution was a good, very interesting idea. It’s wise to develop these shoes the way the Poles have done it. However, I am not surprised by this confusion. It was obvious that something had changed, especially since your top players were out of the World Cup recently. And moments later from Friday, they jumped really well. It was obvious that something appeared in the shoes of your jumpers – admits the coach of Norwegian jumpers in an interview with us.
– This is clearly explained in the regulations: shoes cannot be made so as to give competitors an aerodynamic advantage. It’s so obvious and so clear in the rules that I completely understand Stefan Horngacher. He did the right thing and the fact that he decided to take this step does not surprise me at all, because the change in shoes was very obvious. If he hadn’t taken this step, I’m sure someone else would. Even though it is a great idea, it is still unacceptable if you look at the FIS equipment regulations. Not this time, my Polish friends, laughs Stoeckl.
“When making a drastic change before the Olympics, you have to reckon with trouble”
The Austrian coach also referred to the fact that during the season he decides to ban some equipment. – Major changes to the equipment must be presented at the Spring Meeting, must go through the testing phase and may or may not be approved. If you make such a drastic change in the middle of the season, just before the Olympics, you have to reckon with problems – emphasized the coach.
Our team maintains, however, that all Poles jump in Willingen in shoes that should not be banned, because the modifications introduced to them are not too great. And what exactly is it about? Mystery.
The FIS reportedly once believes the boots are new after all, and other times claims the modifications are too much. There are no clear regulations that would say what can and cannot be changed in shoes. After the protest of the Germans, the FIS controller, Mika Jukkara, also decided to ban the shoes of Poles – they cannot take part in them on Sunday or at the Olympic Games in Beijing.
Open ski jumping war just before the Beijing Olympic Games? “There was no great tension”
It seems that in ski jumping, a real open war began on Saturday a week before the Olympics. – There’s a bit of chaos and confusion right before the main event, but I guess that’s every four years. You try to find suitable good ideas, and some succeed, others fail. I wouldn’t say that I feel like I am in a war because everyone respects the work of others, but if something doesn’t comply with the rules, why should it be allowed? – indicates .
What was the atmosphere at the coaching tower when everyone already knew that the Poles had prepared something new? “There weren’t any great tensions, and it’s a normal step for someone to report it,” argues Stoeckl. He adds, however, that the last official protest he remembers against other team’s equipment was the one about Simon Ammann’s bindings at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. “I think the atmosphere between the teams is fine.” Everyone seemed to be saying: good idea, but illegal – assesses the trainer.
– This is generally an interesting development of events, I like such games. Then much more is said about sport, not only about competition. It’s a bit like Formula One. It’s a good direction, says the Austrian.
Source: Sport
Tristin is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his in-depth and engaging writing on sports. He currently works as a writer at 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the sports industry.
