Sweden is furious after FIS has officially rejected the appeal regarding the yellow card given to Ebba Andersson in Holmenkollen, while at the same time revoking the yellow card issued to Jessie Diggins in the same race.

On Wednesday, it was confirmed that FIS had denied Sweden’s appeal following Saturday’s 20-kilometer race in Holmenkollen, where Ebba Andersson was disqualified.

The 27-year-old Swede initially finished third in the World Cup race but was handed a yellow card shortly after crossing the finish line for violating technique rules. Since she had already received a prior yellow card for a similar offense, this resulted in immediate disqualification.

Sweden protested the decision on the spot, but the jury upheld it. On Sunday, the federation submitted an appeal to FIS, but that too has now been rejected. Andersson is devastated by the news.

Hit Hard Financially

The disqualification in Holmenkollen has cost Andersson over 150,000 SEK in prize money. She immediately lost 5,000 Swiss francs due to the disqualification.

Additionally, her placement in the overall World Cup standings dropped from fifth to seventh, costing her another 8,000 Swiss francs.

Appeal Rejected on the Spot

Sweden lodged a protest against the jury’s decision immediately after the race but was denied, resulting in Andersson being removed from the results list. The Swedish federation then escalated the matter by appealing to FIS, but the appeal was also dismissed.

Now, Sweden is furious.

“We are extremely disappointed that the appeal did not succeed and still disagree with the jury’s decision,” said national team coach Lars Öberg in a statement on Wednesday.

At the same time as upholding the ruling against Andersson, FIS has announced that it is withdrawing the yellow card issued to Jessie Diggins for a similar technique violation in the same race. Diggins had also been warned for skating during the 20-kilometer classic race in Holmenkollen.

Refusing to Let It Go

Sweden has vowed to take the matter further within the FIS system.

“We believe this issue needs to be addressed in a broader discussion within our sport. We need a unified understanding of what constitutes a rule violation in classic skiing,” Öberg stated.

“Regardless of the outcome of the appeal, our goal is to highlight that the situation leading to Ebba Andersson’s disqualification is complex. It is important for the athletes to receive clear explanations and understand the jury’s reasoning,” he added.

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