Robert Johansson, Robin Pedersen and Kristoffer Eriksen Sundal have become the latest Norwegian ski jumpers to be suspended due to manipulated jumpsuits, the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) announced on Thursday.
They join Marius Lindvik and Johann Andre Forfang, who were provisionally suspended along with three Norwegian team officials on Wednesday.
Johansson, Pedersen and Sundal competed at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Trondheim where national team coach Magnus Brevik and equipment manager Adrian Livelten modified the jumpsuits.
“Robin Pedersen, Kristoffer Sundal and Robert Johansson… are provisionally suspended, with immediate effect, from participating in FIS events and events organized by a National Ski Association,” the FIS said.
Both Brevik and Livelten had apologised for modifying the jumpsuits that led to the initial suspensions. Livelten said the athletes had found themselves in this situation through no fault of their own.
The FIS had seized the suits of all Norwegian athletes for inspection but found no issues with the equipment used by the women’s ski jumping team and by both the men’s and women’s Nordic Combined teams.
However, the suits used by the men’s ski jumpers “raised additional suspicions of manipulation” leading to the suspension.
