– I am strongly critical of this. It is fundamentally unsustainable and ethically absolutely horrible. The words come from Cato Bratbakk, president of the Norwegian Swimming Association. REACTS: Cato Bratbakk. Photo: Andreas Sunby / news – I think this is way over the line for what is okay, and this is something they must stop doing immediately, he continues. The strong reaction is due to the following: In recent weeks, several employees of the Norwegian Sports Confederation (NIF) have been working on tasks directly related to President Berit Kjøll’s private election campaign. They have approached organizers of presidential debates, arranged the practicalities, and taken care of the communication around agreements. This despite the fact that the relevant debates, agreements and booking were part of Kjøll’s ongoing election campaign before the upcoming presidential election. The reactions are by no means long in coming. – The administration must not interfere in politics, says Bratbakk. He is supported by Ståle Vaag, leader of the Trøndelag sports circle: REACTS: Ståle Vaag. Photo: Stine Løvmo Lie / news – I think this is very inappropriate. We shall not use sport’s money to facilitate election campaigns by sports politicians. This is the case in all bodies that have an administrative and political side, he says. Vaag thinks it is particularly bad in light of the fact that NIF has dismissed employees due to the organisations’ financial situation. – If the NIF administration has the resources to invest in an election campaign for the sitting president, then they should probably have enough resources not to downsize as well. This sends out some bad signals to Norwegian sport, and the sports president must understand that you cannot use the administrative resources for your own election campaign, believes the circuit leader, who refers to the whole thing as “completely unsustainable”. – Can be a risky sport It was in October that Kjøll announced that she was running for re-election. She did so via a press release from the Norwegian Sports Confederation, to which both the basketball and ice hockey president reacted. – It is strange to use NIF’s information department to promote oneself, said Tage Pettersen, i.e. the latter. Nevertheless, the use of the administration has continued. – This could be risky sport by Berit Kjøll. It is important to be tidy – not least considering that she should be aware of how she shapes her own reputation ahead of an upcoming election. It’s about good public manners and good leadership, says Einar Aadland about the administration’s involvement. He is the author of the book “Organisational ethics”, and lecturer emeritus at the Faculty of Theology, Diaconia and Management at VID University College. – Do you think Kjøll is good manners and good leadership? – I don’t want to be categorical, but it is on the edge of good folk custom. Aadland points out that a leader must be a good role model and safeguard the reputation of the organisation. – This seems like a gray area, says Aadland. – I have nothing more to say, Kjøll herself acknowledges some of the examples, but she does not agree with the premise that this can be considered assistance from the employees. – I have not received any assistance to run the activity I have been running, apart from booking trips and mapping out what the program was for a couple of debates. That was the only thing, says Kjøll. – I have asked for help with one thing, and that was to send an inquiry to two debates that I have participated in in order to get the programme, i.e. the topics. That was all, nothing more, she continues. DISAGREE: Berit Kjøll. Photo: Terje Pedersen / NTB news’s reporter tries to address the criticism that Kjøll is now receiving for having received practical help from the administration, but the sports president interrupts the question: – But there is no help to talk about. There is no help to speak of. I have asked someone to send an e-mail to two places in order for me to get the program and topic of the debates. That’s all, she says firmly. – Is it okay with that assistance, given that the opposing candidate does not get it? – I have an incredibly tight schedule, simply because I sit in the role I do. So the tiny secretarial function, I have been given, explains Kjøll, and concludes: – I have nothing more to say. Kjøll’s election campaign Photo: Terje Pedersen / NTB April 26: The election committee made its recommendation and the election campaign began. Berit Kjøll went to Trondheim to take part in a presidential debate against Zaineb Al-Samarai. Kjøll acknowledges that the administration booked the trip and called the debate organizer to map out the topics for the debate on her behalf. 2 May: Kjøll took part in the new presidential debate against Al-Samarai. The sports president acknowledges that she asked the NIF administration to contact the debate organizer in advance, in the same way as they did before the debate in Trondheim. 4 May: Kjøll took part in two debates against Al-Samarai. The NIF administration took care of booking these agreements. Responding to the criticism General Secretary Nils Einar Aas is head of the administration. He responds to the criticism as follows: – It is very important to state that the administration in NIF is not part of Berit Kjøll’s election campaign. – How much and how is the administration in NIF involved in the organization or logistics for Kjøll? – In advance of the debate, the NIF administration booked a flight from Oslo to Trondheim, in connection with the sports president going on to visit Nordland sports circle after the debate. NIF’s administration constantly receives media inquiries about whether the sports president can participate in various interviews and debates, and follows up these inquiries with the sports president to clarify whether she is available. These are completely natural tasks for NIF’s administration to carry out, Aas replies. ANSWERS: General Secretary Nils Einar Aas. Photo: Torstein Bøe / NTB The secretary-general also acknowledges that staff have contacted various debate organizers on behalf of Kjøll, but he denies that this is part of election campaign activity. – Apart from booking one flight and receiving media enquiries, NIF employees have not taken care of booking appointments for election campaign activity for Kjøll. The administration has contributed to making arrangements for Kjøll to carry out his duties as sports president, but not for election campaign activity in the form of preparations for debates or talks with boards of special associations and sports circles, says Aas. DUELLERS: Kjøll and Al-Samarai during a presidential debate. Photo: news Kjøll’s opponent, Zaineb Al-Samarai, who is preferred by the majority in the election committee, does not want to comment on the fact that Kjøll has received assistance from the NIF administration. – For me, it is only natural that I cover my own expenses when it comes to this here, says Al-Samarai, who says she has not brought in external help. The presidential election is in Bergen on 4 June.
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