World Cup fraud: Did the world champion know?

Ski jumping world champion Marius Lindvik claims he knew nothing about the fraudulent methods used by his Norwegian team at the World Championships in Trondheim. This he insists.

March 10, 2025

From: dpa

"We are both completely devastated. None of us would have jumped with a suit that we knew was rigged. Never," Lindvik and his colleague Johann André Forfang were quoted as saying in a joint association statement.

Anonymously filmed videos that were leaked to the media have been causing a stir in ski jumping since Saturday. The footage shows the Norwegian team manipulating their competition suits in an impermissible manner in the presence of head coach Magnus Brevig.

Marius Lindvik won gold in the jumping from the normal hill. © APA/afp / LISE ASERUD

Lindvik and Forfang were disqualified for the large hill individual event. The 26-year-old Lindvik had won the World Championship title on the normal hill.

Ski jumpers admit responsibility

Norway's sports director Jan Erik Aalbu admitted at a press conference on Sunday that the association had knowingly cheated on two suits. The extent of the scandal is still unclear. "We athletes also have a responsibility to ensure that the suit fits, but we have no routines to monitor the work of the suitors," Lindvik and Forfang said.