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Five Norway ski jumpers, three officials suspended while FIS investigates illegal suits

Five Norwegian ski jumpers, plus three team officials, have been provisionally suspended by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) while it investigates the use of illegally modified suits at the recently completed World Championships.

Ski jumpers Marius Lindvik and Johann André Forfang, head coach Magnus Brevik, assistant coach Thomas Lobben and service staff member Adrian Livelten were suspended Wednesday following an initial information-gathering process for the investigation since Lindvik and Forfang were disqualified for competing in illegal suits at worlds last Saturday.

Then on Thursday, FIS announced that the rest of the Norwegian men's ski jumpers who competed at worlds — Kristoffer Eriksen Sundal, Robin Pedersen and Robert Johansson — are also provisionally suspended due to "findings that have raised additional suspicions," FIS communications director Bruno Sassi said.

Those suspicions are different than what was found in Lindvik and Forfang's suits, FIS ski jumping race director Sandro Pertile said.

Upon request from external investigators, FIS had seized all the jumping suits worn by Norwegian ski jumping and Nordic combined teams at the World Championships. The suits were re-inspected as part of the investigation. FIS announced Thursday that no irregularities were found in the Norwegian women's ski jumping team suits nor in the Norwegian men's and women's Nordic combined teams from worlds.

Before the FIS provisional action, the Norwegian ski federation announced earlier this week that it suspended Brevik, Lobben and Livelten, saying in a press release that they were "directly involved in the cheating that led to the disqualification of Lindvik and Forfang," according to a translation.

In ski jumping, suits are tightly regulated and pre-approved for size and material to ensure that the athletes do not receive an unfair aerodynamic advantage based on what they wear.

On Monday, the Norwegian ski federation said that Brevik and Livelten sewed an extra thread into Lindvik and Forfang's competition suits before Saturday's large hill event at the World Championships in Trondheim, Norway.

“Several of us took (the decision to do it), but I should have definitely stopped it as head coach," Brevik said in a group interview Monday, according to a translation. “I've asked myself (why we did it) so many times since. We regret it like dogs, and are terribly sorry that this happened.”

Lindvik and Forfang said in a statement that they competed unaware of the illegal suit changes. They originally finished second and fifth, respectively, then were disqualified upon suit inspection.

“We are both devastated," Lindvik and Forfang said in a joint statement Sunday from the Norwegian ski federation, according to a translation. "Neither of us would have jumped in suits we knew were manipulated. Never. The trust in the support system has been great and they have always worked hard to develop competitive equipment. We athletes also have a responsibility to ensure that the suit fits, but we have not had any routines to monitor the work the support staff has done, for example when it comes to seams. We must learn from this. We now want complete transparency about what has happened and look forward to speaking with FIS' investigators.”

Sundal was disqualified after the first of two rounds of jumps Saturday due to his suit. Johansson finished 19th and was not disqualified. Pederson did not compete in the large hill, but did compete in earlier events at the championships.

Lobben and Livelten apologized to Lindvik and Forfang in separate statements earlier this week, before the athletes were provisionally suspended.

"I am sincerely sorry that we made a very bad decision," Lobben said. "I apologize especially to Marius and Johann, but also to all other supporters."

Livelten said he will regret the action for the rest of his life.

"We have always done what we can to optimize the suits within the regulations, but cheating is completely unacceptable," he said. "I have accepted the suspension of my employment and will be open and honest about everything during the investigation by NSF (Norway ski federation) and FIS."

The Norwegians "are formally under investigation" by FIS' independent ethics and compliance office and are provisionally suspended "pending the investigation and adjudication procedure," according to a release.

“The situation is obviously extremely disturbing and disappointing," FIS secretary general Michel Vion said in a release Wednesday after the first suspensions. "Since the weekend, both the FIS independent ethics and compliance office and the FIS administration have been working steadily to proceed with a broad and thorough investigation as swiftly as possible while also ensuring fairness and due process. By its nature, ski jumping is a discipline grounded in precision, in which equipment plays an important role. This is why, year after year, we have a strong focus on reviewing equipment regulations and controls: to ensure that competitors are on a level playing field. The only thing that matters to FIS is to leave this process 100% convinced that the sport is free from any form of manipulation. We will leave no stone unturned to ensure that respect and fairness prevail — in this specific case and across our entire ecosystem. This means keeping reviewing the entire process and, if the conclusion is that there should be drastic changes to the equipment regulations, this is what we will do.”

Lindvik is the 2022 Olympic large hill gold medalist and won the normal hill event at worlds on March 2.

Forfang won team event gold and individual normal hill silver at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics.

Johansson won team event gold and individual normal hill and large hill bronze medals in 2018.

Norway has won the most Olympic ski jumping gold medals (12) and medals (36) of any nation.