Petter Northug wants to compete for Austria – but they don't want the 13-time world champion. © AFP / JENS SCHLUETER

Austria does not want cross-country skiing icon Northug

The 13-time Norwegian cross-country skiing world champion Petter Northug will definitely not compete for Austria in the future, as he had planned.

03 April 2025

From: apa/sn

The Presidents' Conference of the Austrian Ski Association (ÖSV) voted unanimously against the idea last week, said Sports Director Mario Stecher on Thursday at a press conference in Innsbruck.

They have a "good, young, ambitious team" – their recent successes have shown that, explained Stecher. "Taking on such an established athlete, and also such an eccentric person, would certainly not be the most sensible thing to do," said the sports director and former top Nordic combined athlete, explaining the association's rejection of the 39-year-old Norwegian, who hasn't competed in the World Cup since 2018. The young athletes should "continue to develop and be able to look forward to a golden future together."

Scandals especially after the end of career

Olympic champion Northug attracted attention with several scandals, especially after his retirement. In December 2020, he was sentenced to seven months in prison for drug possession and four extreme speeding offenses, three of which involved exceeding 200 kilometers per hour in an 80 km/h zone.

Mario Stecher dismissed the Norwegian's ambitions. © APA / EXPA/JOHANN GRODER

Recently, Northug's ambitions have also met with little enthusiasm from ÖSV cross-country skiing director Alois Stadlober and top athlete Mika Vermeulen. "I don't need him because, at 39, he's too old. Rushing to naturalize an over-aged athlete with this lifestyle won't be good for the image in Austria," Stadlober said.

Northug still wants to start for Austria

In December, Northug contacted the association through Vegard Bitnes, a former ÖSV biathlon coach who lives in Ramsau and now lives in Vienna, about a potential change of nationality. According to Stadlober, discussions with ÖSV officials followed, but nothing has happened since then.

Northug retired from competitive sports in 2018. © APA/afp / OLE MARTIN WOLD

"I still want to compete for Austria and would be more than happy to move to Austria next week. Let's see what happens," Northug recently told ORF in Norway. He has the ambition to compete in the 2026 Olympic Games and the 2027 World Cup: "Maybe next season under the Austrian flag."