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FIS plans to announce first results in Norwegian jumping suit probe

FIS plans to announce first results in Norwegian jumping suit probe

Yahoo28-03-2025
Norway ski jumping team coach Magnus Brevig (L) and sports director Jan-Erik Aalbu answer questions from the press in Granasen after two Norwegian jumpers were disqualified and accused of cheating after the men's large hill competition at the World Ski Championships in Trondheim. Terje Pedersen/NTB/dpa
The ruling body FIS has said it plans to announce first results from its investigation into manipulated suits of the Norwegian ski jumping team on Wednesday.
The affair overshadowed the final days of the Nordic skiing world championships in Trondheim where three jumpers from hosts Norway were disqualified and the coach suspended after the team admitted to have tampered with the suits for aerodynamic reasons.
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The Norwegian ski federation meanwhile said on Tuesday that its team will compete at the Raw Air Tour in Oslo and Vikersund from Thursday onwards, and include the disqualified athletes from the worlds.
Normal hill and mixed team gold medallist Marius Lindvik originally won silver on the Trondheim large hill on Saturday but was then disqualified along with fourth-place finisher Johann André Forfang after equipment control. Team-mate Kristoffer Eriksen Sundal was also disqualified but allegedly for a different violation.
An anonymous and secretly video taken before Saturday's event through a keyhole or a door slit showed illegal stitching of an extra seam into the suits which gives the jumpers more stability in the air. Head coach Magnus Brevig was seen watching the procedure.
The Norwegian team has admitted to the manipulation, and Brevik was suspended along with equipment official Adrian Livelten.
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The FIS launched an investigation via its administration and its ethics and compliance committee, speaking of a very serious matter and pledging to work with all stakeholders in a fair and orderly probe.
FIS secretary general Michel Vion said that every measure would be taken to restore respect and fairness, and that equipment regulations could see big changes if necessary.
There are concerns that the affair could affect more athletes and results from Trondheim, and could also concern Nordic combined skiing, which includes ski jumping.
Norway won several golds in Nordic combined as well. But they also had their athlete Jørgen Graabak disqualified for a binding infringement in the team event.
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Switzerland's stadium gamble pays off at Euro 2025 with sold-out crowds and electric atmospheres
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Switzerland's stadium gamble pays off at Euro 2025 with sold-out crowds and electric atmospheres
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In St Gallen for Wales' second match against France, the compact atmosphere of the 19,000-capacity Kybunpark made for a raucous affair, the proximity of the stands to the pitch creating a cavern of noise. There has been an element of good fortune, too. The Athletic attended Portugal's final group-stage match against Belgium in Sion's Stade de Tourbillon, the tournament's smallest stadium (7,750). If the ground was any bigger, it might have devoured this match into silence. Belgium were out and Portugal needed a minor miracle. Switzerland fans, along with a sprinkling of Wales fans, buffered the gaps. Advertisement It was more of the same in Norway's group-stage win against Finland. In a stadium double the size, it was not difficult to imagine the atmosphere falling flat, of empty seats and negative videos circling online. The reverse could also have been problematic: had Switzerland's home match with Iceland or Spain against Portugal taken place in Sion, there would likely have been an outcry over a lack of capacity. An early worry percolating among some high-ranking officials in UEFA was a potential drop-off in attendances, particularly if the hosts went out early. Instead, the quarter-finals shattered more records: 34,128 watched Germany's victory over France, with an unprecedented 112,535 attending the four quarter-finals in total. As the tournament has progressed and attendance records have continued to break, some critics believe Switzerland underestimated the demand for tickets, particularly from travelling supporters. 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Equally, the fervour of the group stages and the sold-out arenas — allied with the quality of the teams and games themselves — have played a vital role in creating the sense that this tournament is the hottest ticket in town. Hindsight is a bitter luxury in football, but atmosphere is priceless. Switzerland has cultivated the latter exquisitely. It is proof that potential is now active growth. 'When you're looking at staging any tournament, you want to have a flexible range of stadiums,' Mark Bullingham, the England Football Association's chief executive, said on Thursday. 'Switzerland have done a great job here. They've filled out every stadium apart from two games, which is a great record and they should be proud of that. Advertisement 'We need to continue to be bolder. I remember when we decided to go to Old Trafford (for the opening game in 2022), a lot of people thought we were a little bit crazy because it was such a big statement at the time, but then we sold it out and that helped set a standard. Here, they've set a brilliant standard of filling every stadium.'

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