The matter in summary: During this year’s Norway Cup, over a thousand young footballers must sleep with the lights on due to fire safety. Chairman of the Bekkelaget sports club and of the Norway Cup, Øystein Sundelin, expresses disappointment and frustration with Oslo municipality. This is not the first time the problem has arisen, also last year the footballers had to sleep with the light on. Then they were given sleeping masks. Sundelin fears that many children will not get the necessary rest they need to perform in the tournament. City councilor for culture and industry in Oslo municipality, Anita Leirvik North, says they are working to solve the problem. North emphasizes that it is important that the children sleep safely, and that they cannot therefore compromise on the requirements for safety. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. – You get a little disappointed and annoyed, says Øystein Sundelin. The chairman of the board for Bækkelaget sports club and for the Norway Cup is listed above the municipality of Oslo. 1,035 children have to sleep in classrooms with the lights on during this year’s tournament. – Getting a good experience around accommodation, and not least being well-rested to play good football matches, is extremely important for the participants, he says. The problem affects three schools: Frydenberg, Fyrstikkalleen and Hauketo. Frydenberg school in the district of Grünerløkka is one of the schools where the footballers will sleep during the tournament. Photo: Hallgeir Braastad / news Handing out sleeping masks The Norway Cup is one of the world’s biggest football tournaments for children and young people. Every year, over 13,000 children and young people gather at Ekebergsletta. Many will live in schools in Oslo. Although the sleeping conditions are simple, it provides lifelong memories for the children and young people. Sundelin nevertheless fears that many children will not get the rest they need, and that their expectations will not be met. An experience of a lifetime – if they get to sleep. Photo: Stian Lysberg Solum / Stian Lysberg Solum The challenge of sleeping conditions is not new. Also last year, the children had to sleep with the light on. Then they were given sleeping masks. – We had hoped that it would be possible to find a better arrangement than blindfolding at night, says Sundelin. He adds that he wishes the municipality would be a better host than this. Chairman of the Bækkelaget sports club and of the Norway Cup, Øystein Sundelin, is afraid that the children will not get the rest they need. Photo: Terje Pedersen / NTB Have faith in a solution The reason why the lights cannot be switched off in schools is because of fire safety. City councilor for culture and industry in Oslo municipality, Anita Leirvik North from the Conservative Party, understands well the frustration of Sundelin and the Norway Cup. – I have children of that age and know how important a night’s sleep is. The lights in the schools have sensors that turn them on if someone moves. If you switch off the lights, you also switch off the emergency lights that show where the emergency exits are. City councilor for culture and industry in Oslo municipality, Anita Leirvik North, believes they will find a solution that allows the children to sleep both well and safely. Photo: Hallgeir Braastad / news North says that they are working to solve the problem, and hope they will find a solution in time. – I am concerned that the children should be able to sleep, but also sleep safely. Then we cannot compromise on the requirements for security. But it is not only easy to find a place to sleep for thousands of children and young people from home and abroad. Norway Cup itself wants the schools to be as close to Ekebergsletta as possible, according to North. – You may have to accept that some of the schools are a little further away. Because there are many children, says the city council. Published 17.07.2024, at 07.46 Updated 17.07.2024, at 08.31
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Participants at the Norway Cup must sleep with the light on – Greater Oslo
