Petter Northug has been working on various strategies to make a comeback in top-level championships. After failing to qualify for Norway’s team for the 2025 World Championships in Trondheim, his next chance is the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Earlier this winter, Northug confirmed he had been in contact with several national ski federations about representing another country for his comeback. His top choices included Austria and Liechtenstein, expecting a response by the end of March. Austria has now given him an answer: no.

“Too old and bad for Austria’s image”

“At 39, he’s too old. And granting citizenship to an aging athlete with his lifestyle is not good for Austria’s image,” said Austrian cross-country skiing director Alois Stadlober during a press conference with APA.

Stadlober was referring to Northug’s 2020 conviction, which included a seven-month prison sentence for drug possession and multiple speeding offenses, with three incidents exceeding 200 km/h in an 80 km/h zone.

Austrian team sports director Mario Stecher told APA that Northug’s criminal record would make obtaining Austrian citizenship difficult or impossible.

“We have a strong, young, and ambitious team, and we want them to develop together,” said Stecher. “Bringing in such an established and eccentric figure wouldn’t be a good idea.”

Clinging to a lifeline

Despite the setback, Northug refuses to give up on his Olympic dream. According to Dagbladet, Liechtenstein is still exploring possibilities.

“I can’t say much at the moment, but personally, Petter is always welcome,” said Liechtenstein’s head coach, Ilja Chernousov, to Dagbladet.

However, Göteborgs-Posten reports that Northug has also been rejected by Liechtenstein.

Meanwhile, Mexico’s ambassador has revealed ongoing discussions with the former world champion.

“Who wouldn’t want to see Mr. Northug return to the World Championships or even compete in the Olympics? We will do everything possible to ensure his experience helps the Mexican athletes who have qualified for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy,” Ambassador Fayad told NRK.

A Theoretical Possibility

Technically, Northug could compete for another country under Olympic rules.

“For athletes who have previously represented a different country at the Olympics, they typically need to wait three years before competing for a ‘new’ country,” explained sports lawyer Mathias Lilleengen, an arbitrator at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Northug last competed in the Olympics for Norway in 2018. However, he would need to switch citizenship, a process that takes time. With less than 10 months until the 2026 Olympics, time is running out.

“It Has Never Happened Before”

Even if Northug manages to secure a new passport in time, he still wouldn’t meet the International Ski Federation’s (FIS) requirements.

FIS mandates that athletes must have lived in their new country for at least two years before representing it. This poses a major hurdle for the 39-year-old, who hopes to compete in the Olympics next year.

Exceptions exist, but they are rare.

“This applies to extremely special cases, such as refugees or political asylum seekers—something truly exceptional. So far, we have never approved a nationality change without the full application process,” said FIS Secretary General Michael Vion to VG.

Vion doubts Northug’s case will qualify for an exception.

“No, that’s definitely not enough. If he doesn’t meet the criteria—and I believe that is the case—it will be difficult for him. What reason could he give? That he just wants it? That’s not enough.”

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