Kristoffer Eriksen Sundal was disqualified. © APA / GEORG HOCHMUTH

Chaos among ski jumpers: Several disqualifications

The Summer Grand Prix of ski jumpers in Courchevel turned into a huge mess: there were several disqualifications.

August 09, 2025

From: dpa/det

A chaotic start to the ski jumping Summer Grand Prix: The new suit rules introduced following the Norwegian ski jumping manipulation scandal have led to several disqualifications at the start of the summer season. In the qualification for the opening competition in Courchevel, France, on Saturday, Norwegian Kristoffer Eriksen Sundal, among others, was disqualified from the competition.

According to the Norwegian news agency NTB and the newspaper Dagbladet This was due to a suit that was too big. Sundal had already been one of the Norwegians suspended from the Nordic World Ski Championships in Trondheim after the manipulation of the Norwegian suits was discovered.

Kristoffer Eriksen Sundal wore a suit that was too big. © AFP / KERSTIN JOENSSON

Sundal's teammate Benjamin Østvold and several Finnish ski jumpers had previously been denied permission to compete in Courchevel, also because their suits were too large. Østvold assured in a statement that no attempt had been made to push the limits. His suit was merely slightly too large in the upper arms.

Suit manipulation among the world champions

Videos at the World Championships in March revealed how the Norwegian team, in the presence of then-head coach Magnus Brevig, illegally altered their competition suits. The World Championship hosts equipped the suits with a band, prohibited by regulations, intended to provide greater stability after takeoff. World champions Marius Lindvik and Johann André Forfang were suspended after the incident became known, and later Sundal and two other Norwegians were also suspended.

Marius Lindvik was suspended from the World Cup. © APA/afp / LISE ASERUD

Lindvik and Forfang denied any knowledge of the practices. In Courchevel, where they jumped for the first time since the World Championships, they mastered the qualification.

New regulations

In response to the fraud, the world governing body (FIS) has introduced several rule changes. An athlete disqualified for an equipment violation now receives a yellow card. A subsequent violation results in a red card and a suspension for the following competition. The FIS is also implementing modernized measurements for testing and new specifications for suits. These are intended to provide less scope for manipulation.

It remains unclear what consequences the World Cup scandal will have for the Norwegians. A ruling by the Ethics Commission appointed by the FIS is expected in the coming days, possibly on Monday.