An obscure clause from 2013 gives the Norwegian Ski Association the power to exclude top athletes. Aukland has seen this before and is not impressed.

The negotiations between the Norwegian Ski Association and several of the country’s top cross-country skiers have boiled over. 

The background is clause 205.2 in the Association’s regulations, which states that athletes who decline a national team spot cannot represent Norway in World Cup events and championships. 

Read More: These athletes have received offers for National Team spots

Previously, individual athletes have received exemptions, but now the Association is tightening its grip. Astrid Øyre Slind, Karoline Simpson-Larsen, and Karoline Grøtting have all had their applications denied.

“I simply received a rejection for my application,” Karoline Simpson-Larsen told NRK.

She ultimately chose to accept a place on the national team, but did not hide the fact that she felt compelled to do so.

The story continues below.

Aukland: Not impressed

The situation leaves Jørgen Aukland frustrated. He is both a coach for young talents at Wang Toppidrett and the owner of the Pro Team, Team Ragde Charge, alongside his brother Anders Aukland. They have witnessed this type of threat being used to varying degrees for nearly 20 years. 

“These are the same threats we’ve seen since 2008-2009 when Jens Arne Svartedal declined a national team spot and joined Team Xtrapersonell (now Ragde Charge). He also faced threats of being barred from World Cup races. So this is a battle that has been ongoing for many years,” Aukland told Langrenn.com. 

He understands both sides of the issue, the Association’s need to gather the best athletes on their teams and the private teams’ desire to continue supporting their athletes in an environment where they have succeeded and feel secure. 

“This is a complicated issue with differing opinions and entrenched positions. But to exclude and impose a monopoly, I think that’s wrong,” Aukland continues. 

“It should be possible to resolve this through dialogue and find a way to present sponsors. This concerns both economics and sporting arrangements. If the national team had a good enough setup, then all the athletes would want to be there.”

Power play

Aukland reacts to what he perceives as a blatant power play from the Ski Association. 

“What they (the Ski Association) have a monopoly on is the selection of athletes for the World Cup and the opportunity to qualify. That power is so significant that no one dares to defy them unless they are Petter Northug or Klæbo. They are the best and can stand up to them, because then the national team has no choice. But other athletes who are on the brink and depend on qualifying, they have no choice,” he says. 

“What athletes know is that if you decline a national team spot, you must be good enough to know you can qualify. Very few dare to say no to that.” 

He has little faith in fear and threats as a basis for negotiations. Aukland finds this unproductive for both parties. 

 “I think it must be possible to solve it in better ways, as they have managed in recent years. When Astrid (Øyre Slind) goes to the World Cup, you see her as a Norwegian skier in a Norwegian national team suit. Then the Association should really be happy with that.”

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Lack of understanding

Aukland points out that he has no doubt that the national team has a good environment, and that he understands that the Association would like to have all the best on the national team. But he lacks understanding of the situation of private team skiers.

“I see from the national team’s side that if they are going to have the best sporting program and the best sporting development, they need to have the best skiers so that they can benefit from their expertise. But they must be able to do the program they have hoped for in order to have sporting development,” says Aukland, and elaborates. 

“When you have skiers who have spent a number of years, got the chance through private teams and seen that they have made huge strides there, it is not surprising if they do not want to move to a new program when they are in a good flow,” he says.

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Prestige and defeat

“The national team coaches may say it’s not about prestige. But they want to bring their runners, who they have followed in tests and have control over. And it’s probably a defeat for the national team if many runners come from outside and deliver. That means that the national team coaches have done a poor job. So it’s clear that there is prestige in it, even if they say there is no prestige in it,” says Aukland.

“The Norwegian national team is actually the athletes who ski the fastest and are therefore selected to represent Norway. If you ski fast enough, you should be able to represent Norway. My opinion is that there should be opportunities if for some reason you don’t want to be on the national team, but are still good enough, then you should get the chance to ski for Norway in the World Cup and championship.”

National team

CEO of the Norwegian Cross-Country Ski Association, Cathrine Instebø, says this about the situation. 

“We want our best athletes to be on the national team. We want to facilitate our athletes on the national team. We need the best on the national team, and we want to find solutions,” Instebø tells NRK.

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