The only thing we know is that this is going to be a record-long presidential election campaign in a sporting context. The hope is that it leads to a new commitment and new awareness of the challenges facing the great sports volunteering. But it is far from certain. The incumbent president Kjøll has already been criticized for using the Swedish Sports Confederation’s own distribution channels to promote his own candidacy. The attempt to secure ownership of the sports kingdom by making a kind of bid before the screening seems to be able to backfire even harder on the sitting president. No one can doubt that this will be a bidding round with several stakeholders until the decision at the Sports Council in Bergen at the beginning of June next year. Opposing candidate without opinions Åsne Havnelid more than hinted at her candidacy in an interview in VG on 30 September. The most startling thing was not that she is interested, but how unexpectedly awkward she appeared. “What are the biggest challenges in Norwegian sport today, in the short and long term?”, asked VG. “I haven’t gone into it now. First, I have to be asked and feel broad support,” answered Havnelid. The first and most important thing one must have as a challenger to the throne is a vision. Here it was just a person – and an obvious desire for position. Nevertheless: Åsne Havnelid is the worst opponent Berit Kjøll could get. Because the similarities are so many. While all the obvious differences go in favor of Havnelid. They are roughly the same age, both live in Asker and have lots of managerial experience. But Havnelid also has a sports connection that is more adequate than the one Kjøll has to show for it. Havnelid was not only the leader of the skiing WC in Oslo in 2011, she was also with Bjørge Stensbøl in building up the Olympiatoppen to the central institution it has become in Norwegian sports since the 1990s. For the past six years, she has been director of Norwegian culture and sports’ own Sarepta’s jar, also called Norsk Tipping. Now she wants to become the sports nation’s top elected leader. Backlash and discontent SENSATION: Berit Kjøll beat the election committee’s candidate Sven Mollekleiv with a poor two votes in the 2019 election Photo: Geir Olsen / NTB But it is not decided for that reason. Kjøll has surprised before. Like when she was elected sports president in 2019, while Sven Mollekleiv was the election committee’s candidate and big favourite. Kjøll knows the game. And proved it to his advantage then. Therefore, she should not be underestimated this time either, despite the fact that many believe she is thoroughly doomed. Nothing was accidental when, on the fourth Monday in October, Kjøll responded to Havnelid’s move by launching his own candidacy for re-election. Berit Kjøll allowed herself to be interviewed on Løvebakken, in front of the stronghold of the granting power, wearing the unofficial bunad of the sports leaders, the assumedly popular Dale sweater. It was also on UN Day itself. The day when one must have an extra awareness of war, injustice and difference all around our difficult world. Not just in safe Hamar, where Havnelid has managed Norsk Tipping for the past six years. Kjøll then also said to news that “I feel that this job as leader requires continuity when you look at the crisis we are now in with the war in Ukraine and the electricity crisis”. It sounded strikingly similar to Boris Johnson in his last days as British Prime Minister. The only one who can maintain control even in major international conflicts. And the dissatisfaction with sports president Kjøll is so extensive that it is difficult to see her having the opportunity to be re-elected. Portrayed in a somewhat unvarnished way, Kjøll has never appeared to have a sincere commitment to sport and its ever-increasing challenges. And if there is anything that is needed right now, it is commitment. CRITICISM: Among the things Kjøll has received criticism for is her handling of the pandemic Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB Manager, but not sports manager Although Kjøll has the support of a number of special associations, dissatisfaction with what she has achieved is widespread in important parts of the Sports Norway, included in her own board. In particular, the handling of the so-called “anti-doping crisis” has underpinned the latter. It was obvious that a number of members of the sports board, including those who had been supporters of Kjøll until then, had been led astray. Kjøll is obviously a charismatic and competent leader. But there is still great uncertainty about whether she is also a competent sports leader. The pandemic gave Kjøll a number of opportunities to position himself as the sport’s new and undisputed leading figure. But she clearly struggled with understanding political processes and largely ended up appearing as an obedient puppet of the proactive Culture Minister Abid Raja. The Norwegian Sports Confederation behaved more like an agency under the ministry than an autonomous force in a decisive crisis, regardless of crisis measures that sometimes worked as intended. And the impression still remains with many. She appears, fairly or not, as not so sincerely engaged in many of the challenges of sport within themes such as dropouts, financial barriers or lack of equality that she is the one who can lead Norway’s largest voluntary movement out of the crisis. To the extent that it is at all possible. 1+1 = 3? THE BOARD: This is the current sports board, which was elected in 2019 Photo: Geir Olsen / NTB What is nevertheless a not unlikely consequence of a duel between Kjøll and Havnelid is that they neutralize each other to a far too great extent, by fighting for the same the support. That opens up the possibilities for a possible third presidential candidate. And it would probably also be healthy for the democratic process in sport with an alternative course on the ballot. In slightly different ways, both Havnelid and Kjøll represent the established, in good and debatably bad ways. There are several names that have circulated as potential challengers to Kjøll. Not least, there has been speculation as to whether the circles out in the districts, where in many ways the challenges after the pandemic are felt most strongly, should be able to rally around a counter-candidate. The one who has nevertheless been mentioned most often is Zaineb Al-Samarai. The former Ap politician and footballer has a refugee background, comes from Holmlia in the east of Oslo and is deputy chairman of the board of Vålerenga. She also sits on the current sports board, which will make a candidacy extra spicy until the Sports Council in June. But above all, al-Samarai represents a very clear crossroads in the management of Norwegian sports, both in background and age. And through that also sports policy priorities, according to all sun brands. The question then becomes whether the sports movement is ready to take this step now. Things indicate that one actually is. The challenges for sport have changed so markedly in a short time that it can open up new ideas also when it comes to management. In any case, it’s just a matter of looking forward to a sports winter where all decisions and statements are dissected in the surgical light of the election campaign. And as fate would have it, it will all be decided in Bergen. Not even the people of Bergen have been able to predict what kind of chaos the election can trigger in that city. Now it’s the sport’s turn.
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