During the roughly one and a half year that the conflict has been public, neither party has told in detail what happened. The brothers start the chronicle by writing that they have never wanted to share openly about their family situation, but that they choose to tell in order to try to find peace for all parties. They say that it hurts to tell. TOGETHER: Here are the brothers together at the WC in 2019. Photo: LUCY NICHOLSON / Reuters – It hurts because it affects a person who has meant a lot to us and our career. It affects people we are close to. And it affects people who have never asked to be drawn into a public conflict, the brothers write in the chronicle in VG. Nevertheless, they write that it feels important to talk. Gjert Ingebrigtsen has replied to news through his lawyer John Christian Elden: – The statements Henrik makes are baseless. I have never used violence against my children. Read the full response to Gjert Ingebrigtsen further down in the case. This has happened in the Ingebrigtsen conflict Photo: NTB On 2 February 2022, it became known that the running brothers Jakob, Filip and Henrik Ingebrigtsen had broken off their collaboration with dad and coach Gjert Ingebrigtsen. – Some things don’t last forever, commented Jakob Ingebrigtsen a few weeks later. The following month, older brother Henrik opened up a little more and said that “after so many years it didn’t work anymore”. At the same time, he asked Gjert to step more into the role of father than into the role of coach. – We knew that this wear and tear in the family would sooner or later strike. It has been tough, Gjert told news at about the same time. Gjert continued to train Narve Gilje Nordås and Per Svela. He was therefore present during the European Championships in Munich in the summer of 2022. The following six months, Gjert student Nordås and the Ingebrigtsen brothers were at the same training camp. Then there was an episode that only became known in the autumn. Henrik expressed that Nordås could not sit at the same table as him, and the union had to introduce measures. In the spring of 2023, the parties were again on the same training stay. The atmosphere must have been bad there too, according to Nordås. In the summer of 2023, the conflict escalated in the public eye, when it became known that Gjert did not receive accreditation for the WC in Budapest. The championship was marked by noise and a war of words, and the ice front between Jakob and Gjert student Nordås became very visible. In October, news revealed the mentioned episode during the training camp a year and a half earlier. On the same day, the Norwegian Athletics Federation announced that Gjert will not be accredited for the championships in 2024 either. A few days later, coach Knut Jæger Hansen went on news and described Henrik Ingebrigten’s behavior as “bullying and harassment”. Both Gjert Ingebrigtsen and the Athletics Federation obtained lawyers. 19 October: The Ingebrigtsen brothers wrote a column in VG in which they opened up about the background to the long-running conflict. They described the father as violent and controlling. On the same day, lawyer John Christian Elden rejected all claims on behalf of Gjert. – We still feel discomfort and fear. The brothers write that when they broke up with Gjert, they thought they would be able to handle the situation in an orderly manner, without having to tell about the background to the break-up. We realize that is not possible, the brothers write. Furthermore, they write that it hurts to tell, but that it feels right. – We have grown up with a father who has been very aggressive and controlling, and who has used physical violence and threats as part of his upbringing. We still feel discomfort and fear, which has been in us since childhood, write the brothers Ingebrigtsen. – In one way or another, we have accepted this. We have lived with it, and in adulthood we have moved on. At least we thought so. In retrospect, we realize that it was naive. But two years ago, the same aggression and physical punishment struck again. The brothers write that two years ago they had enough. Then they chose to break with their father, and thus it also became impossible for him to continue as a coach. This is answered by Gjert Ingebrigsten via lawyer Elden – The statements Henrik makes are baseless. I have never used violence against my children. – That I have had weaknesses as a father, and have been too much of a coach, is a realization I have also come to – albeit far too late. – Our family has lived in the public spotlight for many years, and we have chosen to let the public into our lives through TV series, interviews and much more. That violence should have occurred in this public family life is unthinkable. The Norwegian people have seen our lives, for better or for worse. – I am far from perfect as a father and husband, but I am not violent. – First of all, this is a tragic situation for my family – that we have come to the point where we are spreading false accusations against each other in the media. It makes me deeply unhappy. – How we are going to get past this I don’t know – but we have to try. The association replies: – Sharpens the work The conflict goes all the way back to February last year, when it became known that Gjert Ingebrigtsen was on sick leave and would not work as coach for his sons Henrik, Filip and Jakob for long. BREAKUP: Gjert finished coaching the sons in February 2022. Photo: Beate Oma Dahle / NTB Afterwards it became known that a family conflict was the cause of the breakup, and since then the conflict has escalated. In the WC this summer, the situation became even more heated, and in recent weeks the temperature has risen even further. Among other things, NIF decided that Gjert should not receive accreditation for upcoming championships. In conclusion, the Ingebrigtsen brothers write in the chronicle in VG that they have asked the athletics association not to put them in situations where they could meet their father. On Thursday evening, the union stated that the new information from the brothers should sharpen their work. – The Norwegian Athletics Association’s intention is to provide safe surroundings and a healthy performance environment for our athletes, coaches, managers and people in the support apparatus. Based on Jakob, Filip and Henrik’s statements today, we will take responsibility for sharpening this work. For the time being, there will be no further comments from the Norwegian Athletics Federation, they write in a statement.
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