The strongest ski federation was in danger of collapse. Not even the police can save

The President of the Norwegian Ski Federation admitted that he was afraid for his subordinates, and the police only shrugged.

Many people remember how the story began around the non-admission of the Russian ski team to the World Cup. In early March, the Norwegians shouted the loudest that they would not let our athletes into their land for security reasons.

Then, indeed, someone painted the wax truck of our team, which made Alexander Bolshunov nervous. The issue of the safety of our athletes subsequently became the main argument of the International Olympic Committee when it came to the reason for the ban on Russia. But it all started with the filing of Norway.

However, it turned out that the Scandinavians are not able to provide peace even to their employees, and the president of the Federation complains of constant pressure. Boomerang is back?

The last day of Roste

On June 11, the era of Erik Röste’s reign as president of the Norwegian Ski Federation ended, so on Saturday the functionary delivered his final speech, which summed up both the season and his 10-year leadership.

Needless to say, there were no surprises. In front of regional colleagues, the legendary skier shared his main fear; what worries him in recent years:

“The federation is evolving and now its influence has taken on a scale and character that could destroy the very basis of what we aspire to live in accordance with the motto “many good and happy skiers”. It’s like a dangerous virus that mutates and can kill engagement, volunteerism and our democracy if it’s not removed now,” Röste said intricately.

Eric Roeste / Photo: © JON OLAV NESVOLD / imago sportfotodienst / Global Look Press

As confirmation, in his lengthy speech, the Norwegian cited examples from various sports when pressure on leaders had sad consequences. The most striking of them is the departure from the post of general director of the Rosenborg football club, the best Norwegian football player of the 50th birthday, Rune Bratsett. Rune admitted that the reason for the resignation was too much pressure, including from the media. True, it was 15 years ago.

Rune Bratsett / Photo: © Christof Koepsel / Staff / Bongarts / Gettyimages.com

Threat to the General Secretary

However, as practice shows, nothing has changed significantly in Norwegian sports since then. Röste revealed to the audience the details of a rather cruel story that happened to his closest colleague, Ingvild Bretten Berg, who holds the high post of Secretary General of the Federation.

By the way, it was this woman who actively put pressure on the FIS and in every possible way expressed her disagreement with the decision of the international organization to admit Elena Vyalbe to re-elections to Congress.

Now she has to worry about something else. Having three children, she receives a threatening letter addressed to her:

“She is being warned against meeting here on Skitinget,” Röste explains the nature of the threat.

Skitinget is the name of the annual Norwegian ski management meeting in Mölde where the current president gave a speech.

“I immediately thought, can these people stand outside the gate one day when the children come home? was Berg’s first reaction.

And not unreasonably. The threatening letter was received not only by her, but also by some of her colleagues, including the entire communications department. Husband Ingvild went to the police, but there was not enough information to search for the threat. The case has stalled.

“The Braten Affair”

What is the reason for such a commotion, it is not difficult to guess. 2021 will be remembered for the scandalous confrontation between Reste and Berg, on the one hand, and flying skiers manager Klass Brede Braten, on the other. The essence of the so-called “Braten case” was that the federation wanted to get rid of a specialist who had been the sports manager of the national ski jumping team for almost 17 years.

In the process of “unwinding” this conflict revealed the icy relationship between a large part of the management of the ski jumping team and the administration of the ski federation. It’s gotten to the point where, according to the Norwegian newspaper VG, one in five workers in a trade union has witnessed a colleague being bullied in the workplace.

Claes Brede Broten / Photo: © Matthias Hangst / Staff / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru

Regional ski clubs were actively involved in this process, as it “spoiled the reputation of the entire skiing Norway.” Many sponsors refused to work with jumpers because of this situation. But in the end, an experienced mentor still remained at the helm of the team, and his ward Marius Lindvik in Beijing brought the first individual Olympic gold for Norway since 1964. Success.

Six months after the Games, Eric Reste and Ingvild Berg are reaping the rewards of their excessive pressure. In light of the behavior of this duo in the international arena, where they do not disdain manipulation to the detriment of Russian athletes, such complaints about the situation inside their country look strange. And if the Norwegians can breathe easy, since Röste’s term of office has come to an end, then it’s too early for us to rejoice. Eric will continue as a member of the Congress of the International Ski Federation.