Johann Andre Forfang & Co. no longer want to work with coach Alexander Stöckl. © AFP / CHRISTOF STACHE

With a letter: Norway's ski jumpers are demanding a new coach

Several Norwegian ski jumpers criticized head coach Alexander Stöckl in a letter to the association. After an initial discussion, it remains unclear what will happen next between the coach and the team.

20. February 2024

From: dpa/sn

After a letter of complaint from Norwegian ski jumpers against their coach Alexander Stöckl, a discussion between the Austrian and the team has not yet brought any solution. “I have been dealing with the situation for the last few weeks and today I finally got the opportunity to talk to the athletes. It was an intensive and fruitful meeting, but we cannot draw any conclusions at this point about the further course of the season,” explained Stöckl on Monday.

Last week it became public that several Norwegian ski jumpers had criticized their coach in a letter to the ski jumping committee. Athlete spokesman Johann Andre Forfang confirmed the letter and the dissatisfaction within the team to the Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet. “It's not about the results. The point is that we believe this cannot wait until spring as we want to put together a new team for the World Cup season,” Forfang wrote in a text message to the daily. The letter is said to have primarily criticized the human leadership of the long-time head coach.

Stöckl was missing from the last three World Cups

Stöckl, who has been head coach of the Norwegian national ski jumping team since 2011, was missing from the coaching stand at the last three World Cups in Willingen, Lake Placid and Sapporo. “For me personally, the last two weeks have been very stressful and on the one hand I have to take care of myself and my family and also talk to all my colleagues about how we are dealing with this situation,” explained the 50-year-old.