“Nobody wants to see something like that again.” Jumping and controversy return

– I don’t even want to comment on it anymore. I showed such pictures at the 4-Hills-Tournament with 50. Every time I heard they did [ludzie odpowiedzialni za pilnowanie przepisów w męskich skokach] they see what I show, but when they measure, it’s ok. Laughter in the room – February 12.

Less than two weeks ago, Marius Lindvik won the Olympic competition on the large hill in. Together with him, Ryoyu Kobayashi i stood on the podium. The fourth was. Shortly after the competition, we were nervous to see what Danił Sadriejew published on social media. “Recipes? Nice” – this is how the jumper from Russia commented in the freeze-frames showing Geiger and his suit.

The topic of the costumes of the jumpers from Germany (also Markus Eisenbichler) returned in two days, when they took third place in the team competition, ahead of Norway by only 0.8 points.

– We were a bit unlucky, but it must also be said that our players did not show their highest level – the Norwegian coach tells us today. – Of course, it is a pity that we were so close to the medal. German overalls? They passed the control. And what they look like in the photos is another matter – adds the Austrian coach.

Lindvik and Granerud couldn’t stand it. “They were very disappointed then”

Stoeckl did not want and does not want to act against his compatriot. Just before the Olympics, in Willingen, the trainer of the Germans lodged a protest against the new shoes of the Poles. And in Beijing, from the whole world of jumping, he looked like the man who bends the rules the most.

But the facts are as stated by Stoeckl – the German overalls were checked. Everything was done in accordance with the regulations. And everyone had to accept it, including the Norwegian jumpers, who clearly hurt that they almost lost the fight for a medal with Germany.

– Yes, and Halvor Egner Granerud said the photos show it all. But they were very disappointed then. They were very close not only to the bronze medal, but even to the gold medal, because 21 points behind in eight jumps is not much. And they were left with nothing – explains Clas Brede Brathen, the head of the Norwegian jumpers.

– It seems to me that a few minutes after the competition there were a lot of emotional statements and in fact a lot of attention was paid to the German costumes. But our team could have beaten the Germans if they had used their potential. I think we should focus on what we can improve, and not on what is the responsibility of others, in this case equipment controllers from the International Ski Federation (FIS) – adds Brathen in an interview with Sport.pl.

“Nobody would like to see something like this again”

Only the FIS is heavily criticized after the Olympics. And it cannot be otherwise, since Agnieszka Baczkowska, who controls the players, disqualified seven people (), and Mika Jukkar, who controls the competitors, disqualified only one jumper, Graneruda. And yet the gentlemen competed in Beijing in four competitions, and the ladies only in two. Is it possible that the jumpers try to stretch the rules more than the jumpers?

“Nobody who cares about our sport would like to see something like the Olympic mixed team competition again,” Brathen tells us. – In general, I don’t want to think that someone is cheating. But for me it is also strange that more women than men were disqualified. Especially since this probably does not happen every day during the World Cup season – Brathen tells us.

Is this a suggestion that Mika Jukkara is less controlling than Agnieszka Baczkowska? Hard to say. In any case, apart from the attacks “injured” by the Polish woman, there were also expressions of support for her, even from countries that lost medal chances due to her disqualification. “The fact is: on Monday these teams won medals that respected all the suit rules. The numerous disqualifications hurt skijumping, but it would be too easy to blame the controllers themselves.”

It is certain that the echoes of Beijing events are and will continue to be heard. And that already at the weekend in Lahti, where three men’s World Cup competitions will take place, the discussion about equipment and controls will resume. And it will probably intensify after the season.

– We have to trust the FIS staff, but we certainly have to discuss everything in the spring. I am open to any suggestion that will make our sport more transparent for the jumpers and the spectators – says Brathen. – I’m not saying that the people responsible for checking the equipment have to be changed or that we have to change the regulations, but I think we need to develop the inspection procedure – adds the Norwegian.

On Friday, in the qualification (at 15.30) and the first individual competition (at 17). Live reports on Sport.pl