A Norwegian ski jumper is disqualified after an unauthorized action. A medical certificate is now submitted as a possible explanation.
Norwegian ski jumper Anna Odine Ström, who was disqualified on Wednesday for an unauthorized extra sole in her shoe, has stated that she modified her equipment due to a medical necessity.
As Norway’s head coach Christian Mayer told TV broadcaster NRK at the World Cup in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Ström suffers from a misalignment of the hip, which is why she compensates for a height difference of one centimeter on her right leg with a sole.
Anna Odine Ström was disqualified
“Anna Odine injured herself in Engelberg in 2023, and the injury was due to this hip problem. That’s why we started to compensate for it,” said Mayer. Ström thus wore an additional sole in her sock, which was noticed on Wednesday after a long inspection.
Criticism from within Norway’s Ranks
However, a medical certificate is required for such a measure, as explained by World Federation Race Director Sandro Pertile in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Without it, a modification like in Ström’s case leads to disqualification. Norway’s team, however, only submitted such a certificate after the inspection on Wednesday, and the World Federation FIS is now reviewing it.
Former Norwegian top ski jumper Johan Remen Evensen, speaking as an NRK expert, called the actions of Norway’s association and Ström “simply weak.”
The incident is no trivial matter: “The higher you stand on the shoe, the lower you can wear the suit and the deeper the crotch sits. One centimeter less crotch than usual is a big advantage,” said the former ski flying world record holder.
Ström had finished eleventh in Garmisch-Partenkirchen and was subsequently removed from the rankings.