– It is as good as it can be for him. It’s a gift package, says Iversen. – Getting a standard representation agreement now, into the season, I think is a victory for them, says Northug. The two from Trønder have both followed the case from the sidelines after Klæbo chose to turn down the national team in April. After lengthy negotiations, it has ended with the ski star getting a standard representation agreement this winter. This means that the ski set will be treated the same as all runners who have not been selected for the national team – with commercial freedom between each World Cup weekend. – Then he can do what he wants between weekends and wear national team clothes at weekends. Then he has the opportunity to nail down a very good sporting plan if he so wishes. I think he is satisfied, says Iversen. – I think they are primarily happy to have landed an agreement, so that they can push away and now focus on scoring points in the World Cup and perhaps winning the World Cup overall, says Northug. Cross-country manager Espen Bjervig responds as follows to Northug describing the Ski Association as the losing party: – I have to deal with the regulations that are there. To that extent, the cross-country committee and athletes must too. We cannot, because of a single practitioner, start to change our entire regulations, but we can evaluate it and see what is an advantage going forward. Many believe that Johannes Høsflot Klæbo emerges as the victorious party after he secured a standard representation agreement with the Norwegian Skiing Association. Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB – A loss Since the break with the national team, Klæbo has on repeated occasions criticized the Skiing Association, especially in relation to values. This autumn there has also been back and forth, after cross-country manager Espen Bjervig confirmed that the matter had been resolved on 13 October. Two days later it became known that Bjervig wanted to resume negotiations. Northug believes the debate has affected the Ski Association negatively. – The whole debate that has been in the media about Klæbo’s contract and the negotiations has been a loss. Unfortunately, there has been poor communication, from the time they started until they agreed. That’s the way it is, of course, when you’re outside the national team and are as big a profile as Johannes, he says. – What do you think of the Skiing Association’s handling of this matter? – No, I think it has been handled badly, I do. Now I’ve been involved in such matters myself, and I guess I also said then that I wasn’t impressed. I say the same today, even though it’s starting to be ten years ago, says Northug, who turned down the national team in 2014. STUSSER: Petter Northug. Photo: NTB Emil Iversen is also puzzled by the association’s handling. – It is difficult for us who stand on the outside and do not know anything, but it is difficult to understand that there can be so much back and forth. I’m pretty close, but the whole thing seems very strange, says Iversen. – What can the Ski Association do? – A key word is to communicate better and be closer. It is something to be aware of, and it seems that they are more interested in talking to runners on the national team, he says. – Shows that you can refuse In the Skiing Association’s general rules, the following is stated: “Runners who have declined an offer to participate in NSF’s national team shall not be selected by NSF to represent NSF in competitions in the season in which the offer of a place in the national team applies, unless there are special circumstances.” The leader of the cross-country committee, Torbjørn Skogstad, explained Klæbo’s exception as follows: “Johannes wanted to carry out a different assembly plan than the rest of the team, among other things related to height and therefore wanted to be with the others at the assembly to a limited extent. The cross-country committee considered this to be a good enough reason to grant exceptions that NSF’s regulations allow.” Without the exception, there is a rule that could have stopped Klæbo from going to the World Cup. But now that he is allowed to go, Iversen believes that the agreement is proof that the rule does not apply. – It clearly shows that it is permissible to say no to the national team, says Iversen, who believes that Klæbo’s decision will not damage the national team model. BELIEVE IN THE NATIONAL TEAM MODEL: Emil Iversen is out of the national team this winter, but has faith in the future of the national team model. Photo: NTB Petter Northug believes it is time for a modernization of the national team model. – Perhaps there is a model where it is possible to be Johannes Høsflot Klæbo at home and more privately, but also part of the national team when there is a season. It doesn’t work with the current model, he believes. Bjervig: – An intermediate solution must be found. Now he is proposing a new type of agreement that will apply to athletes who refuse to join the national team. – What is happening this year, with Johannes turning down teams… On the one hand, we get criticism because our system is rigid. When you make adaptations, you are also criticized in a way. I think an intermediate solution must be found. – If the Ski Association is the losing party and this is a complete victory for Johannes… The rules are there, we have discussed this from day one. But both parties wanted to achieve a more long-term solution, which we did not agree on. CROSS-COUNTRY MANAGER: Espen Bjervig has a few days left in his role as cross-country manager. Photo: Terje Pedersen / NTB
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