Because when they are going downhill in Beaver Creek, everyone must drive with an airbag under their ski suit. This causes Norway’s speed hopes to react: – I have not been convinced of any positive aspects of him, says Adrian Smiseth Sejersted to news. – It is a bit special about FIS, the way they do it. One is openly pressured to drive with an airbag. There is no doubt about that, believes Sejersted. Sejersted says that the athletes were given four days from the time they received a contract from FIS, where they either had to agree to drive with the airbag, or they could apply for an exemption for various safety reasons, such as the airbag “limits movement in a way that is not safe”. – It is very specially handled, believes Sejersted. FIS, for its part, says the athletes have had more than enough time to adapt to the new equipment. General secretary Michel Vion says this to news: – This was already decided in May 2023, so the athletes and trainers have known about this for 18 months. We do not pressure anyone to compete with us. – Incorrect prioritization The crash cushion must mainly protect the ribs and lungs. Norway’s foremost female alpinist doctor, Kajsa Vickhoff Lie, believes the new rule is a ski bum. – There is a total wrong prioritization of damage prevention. There is much else we should protect than lungs and ribs. EXCEPTION APPLIED: Kajsa Vickhoff Lie is not satisfied with the fit of the airbags. Photo: Fredrik Solbu Jullumstrø / news She rattles off a long list of other body parts she believes are more exposed to injury than lungs and ribs. – If you look at the statistics, we damage almost everything other than the lungs and ribs. Knees, calves, ankles, head, neck and shoulders. Rather, we should focus more on how we can make skiing safer with regard to those injuries. The athletes have received a letter linked to any application for exemption, in which the athletes waive several rights. In the letter that the athletes must sign in the event of an exception, it says, among other things: “I am fully aware of the potential risks associated with competitive skiing (…). I acknowledge that these risks increase by not wearing an airbag. I acknowledge that all exceptions to the rule that athletes must use an airbag, which is given by the national ski federations, can result in injuries or death, which could have been prevented if I had used an airbag”. Furthermore, it states that by signing you understand that you waive the possibility of bringing a lawsuit or claim against, for example, FIS or the organiser, if you incur an injury that comes as a result of having been granted an exemption from wearing an airbag . Exemptions sought All three Norwegian speed racers on the women’s side chose to apply for exemptions. The reason is the fit of the airbag. – I think he is very unpleasant. I am a short person and he is made almost exclusively for tall people, as he is now, Vickhoff told Lie before the decision to apply for an exception was made. Sports manager for the Norwegian alpine ski resorts, Claus Ryste, supports his athletes: – This is the athletes’ choice and we fully support them, says Claus Ryste! SPORTS MANAGER: Claus Ryste. Photo: Jonas Been Henriksen / news He clarifies that he thinks the initiative from FIS is good, but that more time is needed for change. – There are different body shapes and there are many runners who will have to adapt the equipment in a short time. The airbag probably belongs to the future of the sport. – If you think about the whole alpine circus, there are short temptations to make such decisions, but that’s how it turned out this time, says Ryste. New deadline: – Not a good enough reason The original deadline for applying for an exemption expired on Tuesday 19 November. Then there were 38 applications for an exemption from driving with an airbag. FIS believes that many people are trying to escape on the wrong grounds. MORE DOCUMENTATION: Michel Vion in FIS calls for more documentation. Photo: Mathias Kartveit Mikalsen / news – Most people wrote in the application that the airbag did not fit and that they did not think it was comfortable to drive with. That is not a good enough reason to get an exception. If an exception is to be granted, it must be for medical or physical reasons, says Michel Vion. – That is why we have said that everyone who has applied for an exception must submit more documentation for the justification, where they must be even more clear. We want to make the sport safer, and that is the reason why we are introducing this, concludes the general secretary. The new deadline FIS has set is during Monday, November 25. Published 25.11.2024, at 06.10
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The Norwegian alpine ski resorts are feeling the pressure of the new airbag rule and are applying for an exemption – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcasting schedule
