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World Championship excitement: “You’re forced to cheat!”

The accusations of cheating in ski jumping are more than obvious for legend Sven Hannawald.(Bild: GEPA)

Excitement at the Ski Jumping World Championships in Trondheim! The discussion about non-compliant suits reaches its climax with the statements of ski jumping legend Sven Hannawald. "You're practically forced to cheat if you want to be at the front. It's just frustrating," raged the 50-year-old.

The main accusation? Some athletes would jump with suits that are too big in order to get more lift and thus jump further. At the World Championships in Trondheim, the Germans were recently confronted with this accusation by the Poles. DSV eagle Andreas Wellinger sensationally won the silver medal on the normal hill, Karl Geiger came fourth. "Either we still have loopholes in the regulations and some people know how to get around the rules, or I just don't know what's going on here," commented Polish legend Adam Malysz on the German surprise success. The Austrians were also affected by the allegations of cheating at the Four Hills Tournament, when the ÖSV team celebrated a triple triumph.

Ski jumping legend and ARD expert Sven Hannawald is now taking the FIS to task in an interview with "Bild". "There must finally be a rethink. The decision-makers have a duty!"

Hannawald continues: "It's just sad how far things have come. The nations are insulting each other. That can't be true. There is pure mistrust in the circus. And why? Because the people in charge don't have a clear line."

Sven Hannawald(Bild: GEPA)

The rules for the suit were laid down in the summer, the measurements for shoulders, crotch and legs. At the beginning of the season, the field was tight, the victories close, the controls strict. Now it seems to be going in the wrong direction. "At the beginning it was all fair, now it's wild. Germany and Austria coped best with the tighter suits. Their technique, with a little more height from the jump, suited them. Other nations, who had always relied on more surface area, i.e. larger suits, found it more difficult, but also coped better and better, such as Johann André Forfang," explained Hannawald.

"Someone with six diopters can see that..."
Two additional suits per jumper were allowed to be registered for the World Championships. Christian Kathol, chief controller of the FIS, had to approve them. "Someone with six diopters can see that there are now suits that shouldn't be allowed - if the rules from the start of the season were followed," Hannawald grumbled.

The wide suit worn by Anna Odine Stroem, who has already won three medals in Trondheim, is particularly striking. "Give me this suit and even I'll jump again. I know nothing can happen to me, it will catch me," says Hannawald.

Anna Odine Stroem(Bild: GEPA)

Local hero Marius Lyndvik took gold on the normal hill, which Hannawald found incomprehensible: "Before the World Championships, when the rules were strict, Lyndvik often didn't even make it to the second round. And now he's world champion, with the same technique. It's all like a bad movie."

"You're practically forced to cheat..."
The FIS allowed loopholes during the season, according to Hannawald. "Every jumper who has adapted their jump to the tighter suit is now simply being punished. You can't just change your jump to a different suit during the season. It just annoys me so much. You're practically forced to cheat if you want to be at the front. It's just frustrating."

If no solution is found, "we'll end up with another complete mess at the Winter Olympics," warned Hannawald.

The ÖSV eagles still have one last chance at World Championship gold after missing out on the team favorite victory on Saturday (3:45 pm).