“We have cheated,” from Jan-Erik Aalbu, chief of the Norwegian ski-jumping team. “We have tried to trick the system.” During the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Trondheim, two Norwegian Olympic skiers were disqualified from the men’s large hill event due to manipulated ski suits. One of them had even made his way to the second position on the podium, yet all that was handed to him was a DQ. An investigation took place. And despite the results not coming in their favor, the two remain clear for the Olympics.

At first, the Norwegian Ski Federation admitted that the team had manipulated the suits, while arguing that Marius Lindvik and Johann Andre Forfang were not at fault for the violations. But gradually, the athletes admitted to breaching competition rules and acknowledged they should have asked questions about the adjustments to their suits. “Johann Forfang and Marius Lindvik are therefore willing to accept the proposed sanctions of a period of ineligibility of three months, from which the period of the provisional suspension already served shall be deducted,” FIS said.

The Guardian reported that the pair has agreed to pay fines of 2,000 Swiss francs (£1,800) each alongside the three-month ban. But the good news for them now is that they will be clear to represent Norway when the Winter Olympics start. Their suspension will end before Milano-Cortina begins in February 2026. The news is even better for Lindvik, as the ski jumper is the defending champion of the men’s individual large hill ski jumping event. Forfang, on the other hand, has a large hill team gold and a normal hill individual silver to his name from the 2018 Olympics.

Meanwhile, speaking over the ban, their lawyer said, “The case shows that routines for communication between the support staff handling equipment and suits and the athletes should be improved to prevent similar situations from occurring in the future.” What they did was stitch in an extra seam that made the suit stiffer, guaranteeing more flight.

Initially, Lindvik and Forfang, along with two coaches and a service staff member, were charged.

Now, while the athletes would go to the Olympics, their coaches do not have the same fate. Many faces, suspensions, rules were changed, and whatnot. The initial finding that the suits were altered set out a chain of events.

Followed by the initial suspension of the Olympic stars

When the matter initially came to light, head coach Magnus Brevik and equipment manager Adrian Livelten were suspended. “I should have stopped it,” Brevik confessed, but it was too late to reflect. Livelten admitted to manipulating ski suits by adding extra seams to increase lift, violating FIS regulations. Additionally, assistant coach Thomas Lobben was also suspended. And the FIS did not stop there.

Robert Johansson, Robin Pedersen, and Kristoffer Eriksen Sundal were also suspended due to manipulated jumpsuits. “Robin Pedersen, Kristoffer Sundal and Robert Johansson… are provisionally suspended, with immediate effect, from participating in FIS events and events organized by a National Ski Association,” the FIS stated. Plus, the federation brought in new regulations.

One of these regulations included only allowing one suit per season per athlete, as well as all suits being kept by FIS until 30 minutes before an athlete’s training or competition. Not to mention the people in Norway did not like what their athlete did.

The Holmenkollen Ski Festival, a prestigious annual event in Oslo, proceeded without the participation of the banned athletes and coaches. And now, while Marius Lindvik and Johann Andre Forfang will not be competing for the next three months, they have the Olympics ahead of them.

What are your thoughts on this decision?