Ski jumping does not come to rest. According to the manipulated suits of the Norwegian team at the Ski World Cup, a legend of having cheated at active times now confesses – like many others.
The Finnish ski jumping legend Janne Ahonen has confessed to cheated on his active career.
In conversation with the Norwegian broadcaster NRK , the 47-year-old admitted that he had violated the suit rules. “We all went to the borders – and a little bit over it,” reported the record winner of the four -hill tour.
Fraud widespread?
He added that he had never attached unauthorized additives to his suit, but: “When it comes to size, I covered the regulations and exceeded the border.”
However, Ahonen pointed out that he would not have been alone with this behavior – quite the contrary. The Finn emphasized that it was widespread in ski jumping and that he himself knew about the regulations: “Everyone knows what his suits look like.”
With five victories at the tour (1999, 2003, 2005, 2006 and 2008), five World Cup titles and two overall World Cup victories, the former rival by Sven Hannawald and Martin Schmitt was one of the most successful ski jumper in history.
Ski jumping legend calls for reforms
The Ski World Association FIS actually carries out controls to uncover such violations. However, the Finn had doubts about the independence of these controls. The 47-year-old said that it was easier to pull out someone with a low start number and disqualify him.
For this reason, he demands fundamental reforms: “Maybe there should be someone from the outside who checks the suits, as with doping.” In this regard, Ahonen referred to the world anti-doping agency. “Maybe it should be the same with the suits,” says the ski jump legend, who wishes an independent institution that takes care of it.
Fraud scandal at Ski World Cup
Only about two weeks ago at the end of the Ski World Cup, the sports director of the Norwegian team Jan Erik Aalbu admitted to deliberately manipulated the suits – under the pressure of a video that came to the public, in which the suit manipulation could be seen.
As a result of the scandal, five jumpers around world champion Marius Lindvik have been suspended, and a big debate about the effectiveness of the control system has started – among other things, the German ex -world champions Sven Hannawald, Jens Weißflog and Severin Freund consequences.
Ahonens’ fraud will continue to fuel the discussion.