On Saturday, one of the top athletes in the Norwegian team, Team Aker Dæhlie, was disqualified for fluor. Petter Stakston’s skis had “clear traces of fluor” after finishing the 40-kilometer-long Hafjell Ski Marathon race.

The Team Aker Dæhlie athlete explains that it was due to a mishap in the waxing cabin. According to Stakston, his father had waxed the skis the night before, the same skis that had tested green during the Ski Classics weekend in Orsa the previous week.

Read More: What happened to Team Aker Dæhlie?

On his Instagram account, Stakston explains that his father had used a product he had ensured was fluor-free, which turned out not to be.

“This is obviously very regrettable, and it was never the intention to cheat. I had looked forward to a good race and a good performance before Vasaloppet next weekend,” writes Stakston, and continues:

“I hope this does not weaken the trust in the zero tolerance for fluor that we have in Team Aker Dæhlie. As a team, we have requested more tests in long-distance races. It is, therefore, excruciating to be caught in a test that we ourselves have requested.”

Gunnar Stakston, the father of Petter Stakston, emphasizes that the fluor incident was a mistake on his part and by no means a deliberate attempt to cheat.

“I take full responsibility for the fluor on Petter’s skis. I had bought the wax in a sports store and did not believe they sold products that were not allowed to be used. But I was wrong, and I am very sorry for that, he tells Langrenn.com.

Teammate Accuses Competitors of Cheating 

Stakston’s fluor disqualification in the Hafjell Ski Marathon on Saturday comes a week after Stakston’s teammate in Team Aker Dæhlie, Max Novak, appeared on Swedish TV and more than suggested that competitors cheat with “fluor doping.” Novak believes that other teams “saturate” their skis with fluor between races and then clean them before competitions, thereby gaining a competitive advantage without testing positive in the fluor control.

Read More: Long-distance skiing star accuses competitors of fluor cheating 

Petter Stakston’s fluor disqualification comes amid an ongoing storm around skiing and fluor. This winter, there have been noticeably more significant differences in skis. Rumors swirl: Some are using the time between races to “saturate” their skis with fluor and then clean them and wax fluor-free before races.

Also Read – “Saturating” skis: Are skiers gaining an unfair advantage between races?

FACTS: Fluor Ban

Starting from the 2023/24 season, a total ban on fluor for all competitions was introduced. This was announced by both the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) and the International Biathlon Union (IBU) in March 2023.

This summer, the international federations presented the testing procedure and protocol for how the fluor ban will be enforced this winter. The consequence of testing positive for fluor is harsh: Those who test positive for fluor will be disqualified, and the decision cannot be appealed.

Therefore, the Norwegian Ski Federation has invested significant resources in developing procedures and guidelines to ensure that athletes do not start with skis that lead to disqualification.

In May, the Ski Federation hired a dedicated fluor coordinator and established a professional portal on their websites with information, videos, and other content related to the fluor ban.

Also Read: Norwegian Fluor Guide Becomes International Standard