– For me, it’s about giving and taking a little, says Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, at a press conference in Orkanger today. According to the ski star, they have gone a long way in the negotiations on a representation agreement with the Norwegian Ski Association. The agreement must be in place so that the cross-country team can go to the World Cup races in the winter. MEET THE PRESS: Klæbo answered questions from the press for over an hour. Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB – I have offered to go in for an entire period, pay for lubricants and cover all altitude stays myself. It was part of the first negotiation. Now we are where we are, for me the nine days are important, quite simply. – I want to have clarity as to when I am Johannes Klæbo as a private person, and when I am on the national team. For me, the nine days become a symbol that it is important to me. I will definitely be sitting on the sofa, but at least then I can sit on the sofa in the clothes I want to wear. Without thinking that I have to wear these and those logos on my chest. According to Haakon Klæbo, they have only been offered one period of nine days. – It is during the NM period, said Haakon Klæbo at the press conference on Wednesday. – I guess we can be so honest that at least I had a goal that when we started this today, we would have reached an agreement, he said earlier in the session. Nine days’ winter holiday Finally, there is some form of agreement between the Klæbo camp and the Norwegian Skiing Association. Both parties acknowledge that they are 9 days away from a representation agreement, which will enable Johannes Høsflot Klæbo to participate in World Cup races throughout the winter. And in addition get the pleasure of taking part in what the ski association’s sponsors would like to have him with during the same period. But the 9 days hold a much heavier symbolism than what father and son Klæbo tried to portray as in Orkanger today. on a day that started with an expected excursion to the headquarters of the new Reitan-owned sponsor Norsk Kylling, it was portrayed as if the only thing Klæbo junior wanted were two breathers from national team discipline. Instead of a continuous period of representation running through the winter, as was the agreement with Petter Northug in the same situation, Klæbo will split it up. And have two free minutes a 9 days, where our biggest star can sit (sic) on the sofa without thinking on which logos are on the clothes. And only that. Father Haakon immediately guaranteed that the time would not be used for anything else, for example marketing for his own sponsors. And that is certainly sincere enough. But for the Skiing Association, which has offered one break in the NM period later in January, it is necessarily not enough as a guarantee. For the association and their sponsors, must be added. Who are unlikely to accept this second agreement break, thought right after Klæbo has won the Tour de Ski. And is at its most attractive, in a season without a championship. For 9 days is a perfect length of a planned marketing campaign for Rema’s organic chicken. Or as long as it is between the first and last men’s cross-country training in the WC in Trondheim in 2025. Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, in his very best version. That’s why he and the Norwegian Ski Association agree on an agreement anyway. About plus or minus 9 days. “Unique agreement” Cross-country manager Espen Bjervig confirms to news that Klæbo has asked for time off for two periods, during the National Championships and after the Tour de Ski. Bjervig explains the background to the conflict: That an athlete outside the national team must have a standard representation agreement that describes the athlete’s and the association’s duties. – When Johannes has actively refused to join the national team, and does not have a national team agreement, then he must have a representation agreement, says the cross-country manager. CROSS-COUNTRY RUNNING MANAGER: Espen Bjervig. Photo: NTB According to Bjervig, the association has gone to great lengths to meet Klæbo’s wishes and that the skiing star has received a “completely unique” offer in the context of the association. In the national team, only elite athletes are allowed to have one private sponsor mark on their clothing. Despite the fact that he is not in the national team, Klæbo has received the same offer. – So it is a very unique agreement, that an athlete who has refused to join the community is allowed to receive the same benefits as one has in the community. And this is the offer Johannes received in June. This offer is what he has refused, because he wants additional freedom, but with the same benefits, says Bjervig and continues: – He can have freedom all the time if he wants it, but then he won’t get his private logo. What we demand in return is that he can get a week off, and then he will get a private logo, but between that period he must present himself to the Norwegian Ski Association to use the private logo. – Can’t skew that much Bjervig doesn’t think the association will go any further than they have already done. – We have already gone extremely far by giving this type of benefits to an athlete who is not on the national team, says Bjervig. – I have 20 other elite athletes to think about, and I can’t skew the distribution too much. A person who has chosen to stand outside the community, that he should receive greater benefits than those who are in the community, that will be a completely wrong thing. – What do you think it will take to get a representation agreement in place now? – No, I think he has to make the choice between flexibility or getting a commercial benefit from having a private logo on his suit. That is where the choice stands with him now. But a solution is still not just around the corner, because the Klæbo camp is not satisfied with the offer on the table. – Can you put your name on the agreement that is there now, yes or no? – Not on the one presented by you now, no, says Klæbo to news. DISAGREE: The parties to the conflict still seem to be far apart. Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB Broke the agreement Leader of the cross-country committee, Torbjørn Skogstad, has previously told VG that the parties initially agreed not to give details of what they had talked about. – I sent a message to Skogstad and Bjervig early today that the agreement we had to keep it to ourselves, we can no longer keep that. So they are informed about that, says Haakon Klæbo. – It is a decision he chose to make. For me, it is important to be open. I don’t keep things hidden. For me, it is important for me to say that this is not about money. It is about values and how we should behave. FATHER AND MANAGER: Haakon Klæbo. Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB The process surrounding the representation agreement with the Norwegian Ski Association has been going on for a long time. Several national team athletes have called the ongoing negotiations an energy leak. But Johannes Høsflot Klæbo himself does not think so: – The energy leakage here has been minimal. If you ask the man standing at the far end here, I don’t think he completely agrees with me. But for me it has been relatively good. Asking for exemption for two periods Father Klæbo says it has been far more energy-demanding for him. He claims to have spent a lot of time on the negotiations since 16 May. – You have offered everything from paying for a greaser to be in for a period, to us proposing to be represented in FIS’s periods. That means you (Johannes) have three free periods, he claims. COACH AND STUDENT: From left: Kåre Høsflot, coach and grandfather, and Johannes Høsflot Klæbo. Photo: Lise Aaserud / NTB Haakon Klæbo says that they most recently met with the Ski Association last week. – The last thing we have proposed is that you are inside and have two periods where you are outside and have “free time”. Then I would like to emphasize that you have said no thanks to a national team agreement. This is a representation agreement. – Then there are two periods where we have asked that you get an exemption, i.e. do not represent the team. One period is probably after the Tour de Ski and the other is during the NM. Then it’s probably eight or nine days that we’ve been arguing about. That is the situation, says Haakon Klæbo, who claims that it is not about money from their point of view. Answers Bjervig: – I play with open cards Klæbo has previously signaled that going to the World Cup races is not necessary for him this winter. Cross-country manager Espen Bjervig was clear in an interview with news last week that he did not believe it and said that it is probably “said a bit far-fetched”. – There is a lot of seriousness in what I said, I don’t mean that it is not the case that I have to go to the World Cup this year in order to be well prepared for the World Cup in 2025. Therese Johaug had two seasons where she did not go to the World Cup and we everyone saw how it went afterwards. – It is not a must for me to go to a World Cup race, but I want to go, Klæbo himself answers at the press conference. – Are you surprised that Bjervig perceives it to be sloppy? – He now gets to perceive things exactly as he wants. That must be his word. I have been clear. The things I say in the media, I mean them. I’m not standing here making any “juggle”. I play with open cards. If he means it, then it must be his opinion and something he stands for.
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Broke the agreement with the Skiing Association – revealed secret details – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcasting schedule
