Uniforms are important in sport and in life. It can set you apart from other people. In sport some can be altered to benefit and assist the person wearing. However, this would obviously be a case of cheating. The Norwegian ski team has been disqualified as a result of this action.
Two Norwegian ski jumpers have been disqualified from an event at the 2025 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships after their suits were found to have been manipulated.
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.
The federation said coach, Magnus Brevig and equipment manager, Adrian Livelten, were suspected of modifying ski suits by sewing in an extra seam in an attempt to create more lift in the air. Norway is one of the traditional powers within ski jumping and the scandal at its home world championships has caused a massive outcry in a country that prides itself on its winter sports prowess.
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."
Lindvik, who took second in the men's large hill event before being disqualified, wrote in an Instagram story, "This has been a nightmare. I’m broken and sad," stating that he didn't know that his suit had been manipulated and he wouldn’t have used it if he knew.
Forfang, also in an Instagram story, wrote that he also wasn’t aware that his suit had been manipulated and added that this was the first time he’d used the suspect suit. "I have always had great trust in the staff, who have worked tirelessly to develop competitive equipment,” Forfang wrote. "But this time, a clear line was crossed."
Brevig told Norwegian media on Monday that several team members had been involved in the decision to alter the suits, but added: "I should have stopped it." He claimed it was the first time they had stitched in an extra seam but made a sailing analogy to explain why a stiffer suit would help the jumpers fly farther in the air. “A tighter sail is better than a loose sail,” he said.
The federation said Brevig and Livelten would be suspended indefinitely while inquiries continue. The International Ski and Snowboard Federation said on Sunday that it had opened its own investigation.
Cheating is never a good thing. The good part of this story is that they owned up to it and accepted the punishment. Confessing at the very beginning is better than delaying the inevitable. A whole scandal could result if there were constant denials. I'm appalled that the other members kept mum about the whole thing.
Honesty is the best policy