Gian Franco Kasper: “Sport should stay on the back pages”

By Luis Mahlknecht from Lahti This was an - unexpected - highlight at this year's Forum Nordicum, where ski sports journalists met again for the annual exchange in Lahti (Finland). Gian Franco Kasper's speech was also notable in other aspects. He had just returned from an inspection trip to Korea and China and described his impressions honestly and specifically. While in China they are almost “overzealous” and have, for example, set up 1000 wind turbines to generate electricity in places where there is no wind, things are still very difficult in South Korea, work is being done very slowly, so that a “more modest” hosting of the Olympics is also envisaged Games for 2018 can be expected.

Of course, the topic of doping also came up. The FIS takes a very clear line on this, but is against collective punishments and blanket sentences. WADA's approach should also be critically questioned. FIS Secretary General Sarah Lewis also agreed and once again emphasized that they were fighting for a clean sport. And this can then be found in the media on the last pages, and that – according to Kaspar – is a good thing.

With the presentation of the innovations in ski jumping (in Norway there is a second Four Hills Tournament this winter, which is called “Raw Air” and in which qualification is also part of the competition), in cross-country skiing (they want the starting quotas for each nation here redistribute something in order to curb Norway's dominance) and in the Nordic Combined (where the women are now gradually gaining a foothold) the FIS day came to an end.

In biathlon, the IBU board was conspicuous by its absence, but the sports journalists learned interesting news from the organizers of the 2017 World Championships in Hochfilzen in North Tyrol. The Finnish Biathlon Association also briefly introduced itself and emphasized that they wanted to re-establish Lahti as Finland's biathlon headquarters. There are plans to transform the cross-country skiing stadium directly next to the city into a multifunctional facility. However, this would mean that Kontiolahti in eastern Finland (Karelia) would virtually disappear from the scene.

Other interesting aspects of the Forum Nordicum in Lahti were discussions with the former ski jumping coach Hanno Lepistö (also once worked in Italy), the visit to the wonderful sports institute in Vierumäki and exciting lectures by the sports doctor Jörg Teichmann, who listed new ways of treating sports injuries, as well by the young journalist Luis Holuch, who spoke about women's ski jumping. He expressed the wish that this sport should gain more visibility in the media, especially on television. A wish that the fans in South Tyrol are happy to share.

Two comebacks by top Finnish athletes were also announced: Janne Ahonen, despite his age of now 39, wants to put on the jump skis again and "sail" over the jumps, Hannu Manninen is even joining the Nordic combined athletes again after a five-year break. The 2017 home World Cup next February (in Lahti they are busy with the final details, the facilities are already looking great) were probably the deciding factor for the two representatives of “Suomi”.

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Gian Franco Kasper: “Sport should stay on the back pages”

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