Petter Northug strongly opposes “point-blaming” after the World Cup scandal: – No one takes responsibility

– I am shocked by the results that were presented. Then you are shocked in retrospect that there is no leadership and they are standing around pointing at each other, says Petter Northug to NRK.

He talks about the deficit in the World Ski Championships and the aftermath that has developed in recent weeks.

The Norwegian Ski Association has announced cuts of 27 million kroner. The World Ski Championships have received financial claims of 134 million kroner, but they themselves believe they only have 85 million to pay out.

It makes Northug see red.

– I am most amazed by the process that has taken place over the last month, after the figures came out, that there are still no leaders who stand up for what has happened and what has been done.

Klæbo: – Sad and shocking

Northug ran a street race in Fredrikstad today. The World Cup king from Trondheim, Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, was also there. He won’t go as far as Northug in his criticism, but:

– I think it’s sad and shocking that we end up here. The World Championships were a fantastic event and everyone who was there left with good feelings about how good it was, and then we end up like this, says Klæbo and continues:

– It is first and foremost a shame for the future. Clubs and those who have contributed voluntarily to help create a surplus that will be given back to the clubs and new events.

WORLD KING: Johannes Høsflot Klæbo won all six distances during the World Championships on home soil this winter.

The Norwegian Ski Association is the largest owner of the World Ski Championships and has budgeted to receive a portion of the surplus from the championship. It was long announced that the championship would give the association around 12 million kroner. That figure will now be zero.

In addition, the association has outstanding loans and guarantees. The loan is 8 million kroner. The association will at best only receive a fraction of the eight million.

– It is a consequence for more than just the ski association. It is a consequence for the clubs and the circle that have been involved and contributed here and really put in a lot of resources. It is primarily those who I think it is the most unfortunate, says Klæbo.

Neither the chairman of the World Cup organization, Åsne Havnelid, nor World Cup manager Åge Skinstad wishes to comment on the criticism in this case. See the Ski Federation’s response further below.

– No one wants to clean up

The last time Norway hosted the World Cup, it made a 68 million krona surplus. At that time, the finances of the ski association were also completely different than they are today.

That’s why Northug isn’t holding back on his attacks on the ski association:

– Right now the ski association is about to fall off a cliff and it doesn’t seem like there are any leaders who are addressing this at all. No one cares. Unfortunately, that’s how it is. A clean-up is needed, but no one wants to clean up and that’s where we are unfortunately today, he says.

ON STAGE: Petter Northug on stage during the World Championships in Trondheim.

– It’s just sad, I don’t understand how it’s possible that there hasn’t been any management along the way who has seen it before the numbers come to the table now, says Northug.

– Petter Northug is not very specific, and since NRK has not asked him any follow-up questions, it is difficult to know what he specifically means, Espen Graff, head of communications and society at the Norwegian Ski Association, answers NRK.

– Regarding the statements about the World Cup in Trondheim, we share Northug’s opinion that the deficit is both surprising and incomprehensible. The management of the World Cup company must answer for itself how this could happen, and a thorough review will hopefully give us answers, says Graff.

Since the deficit became known, the World Cup organization has focused on cleaning up and having a dialogue with creditors. They have also taken self-criticism in the media. The very day the World Cup deficit became known, board chairman Åsne Havnelid appeared on NRK to do an interview.

– I think it’s very, very sad and unfortunate. This was supposed to be a public festival and we were supposed to contribute a surplus back to children and young people. So now we’re in this situation, Havnelid told NRK at the time.

SCHOOL LAW: Åsne Havnelid and Åge Skinstad presented school law to the press on June 3rd.

Northug still believes that he has not seen clear enough leadership in recent weeks.

– The fact that no one takes here and is more clear on what is done. That they stand there as a question mark today says little that those who led the ski World Cup should not have led it, he says.

World Cup manager Åge Skinstad does not want to respond to the criticism in this case, but said this to VG a few weeks ago:

– I understand that people are disappointed and upset. It is simply regrettable and sad that we have found ourselves in this situation. We have been surprised ourselves. We have said that several times. And I know that is my responsibility as World Cup manager.

Bjørgen: – That it is possible

Bjørgen:

And Marit Bjørgen was in Fredrikstad on Saturday. She is today a landscape coach and fears the economic consequences for elite teams as well.

– Economically speaking, it affects everyone. Then we will see how big consequences it gets, says Bjørgen to NRK.

“Economically speaking, it affects everyone. We’ll see how big the consequences are,” Bjørgen tells NRK.

NATIONAL TEAM COACH: Marit Bjørgen during the World Ski Championships in Trondheim.

– For the athletes on the elite team, we manage to do the job we have to. What is sad is the next events. We will have a junior world championship next year and an alpine world championship in 2029, that does something to make people a little more hesitant to contribute. That will have some consequences, she adds.

For the athletes on the elite team, we manage to do the job we have to do. What is sad is the next events. We will have a junior world championship next year and an alpine world championship in 2029, that does something to make people a little more hesitant to contribute. That will have some consequences, she adds.For the athletes on the elite team, we manage to do the job we have to do. What is sad is the next events. We will have a junior world championship next year and an alpine world championship in 2029, that does something to make people a little more hesitant to contribute. That will have some consequences, she adds.

Bjørgen points out that the World Cup itself was a fantastic party, but also wonders about the economy in retrospect.

– It’s incredibly sad, really. That it’s possible, we’re talking about 50 million here. It’s just tragic, she says.

“It’s incredibly sad, really. That it’s possible, we’re talking about 50 million here. It’s just tragic,” she says.”It’s incredibly sad, really. That it’s possible, we’re talking about 50 million here. It’s just tragic,” she says.