NRK expert goes hard against extent of damage – FIS announces action – NRK Sport – Sports news, results and broadcasting schedule

– I would say that the equipment changes have put the athletes at risk. Several knee injuries are a direct consequence of the measures FIS has taken, says NRK’s ​​jumping expert Johan Remen Evensen.

In December, Anna Odine Strøm lost the rest of the season due to a serious knee injury. In March, Kristoffer Eriksen Sundal suffered a knee injury in Holmenkollen which led to surgery.

A week ago, combined runners Jarl Magnus Riiber and Mari Leinan Lund suffered knee injuries on the ski jump.

Robert Johansson says that he has also thought about the risk of individual changes that have been made.

– Simply because it is about the fact that things have become more unstable. Now we probably don’t have any concrete figures on that yet, but it is frightening that there are so many from one nation who have knee injuries, says Robert Johansson to NRK.

FIS: – We have some mistakes

Sandro Pertile is race director at the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS). He said that they will analyze the extent of the damage carefully after the end of the season.

– So far, I think we have the same number of injuries in general as we have had in the past. But I want to see real numbers first. I was not informed about all the injuries in the Norwegian team, he says to NRK.

Pertile underlines that they have a system that collects information about damage in order to understand what is the reason for the damage.

– I think it is important for us to look at all the cases and understand what could be the reason. Usually there is not just one reason, but a combination of several factors, he explains.

Before the season this year, a number of major changes were made to equipment in everything from bindings to “pads” for a suit. Pertile confirms to NRK that fewer changes will be made before next season.

– We are not planning any major changes before next season. But we must also be open and check what is happening in the landing area. We have some mistakes. The team is eager to jump further and sometimes we forget that we also have to land. This is something we have to look at, says the race director.

– I think we see athletes who get knee injuries all the time. If they don’t take some action, I think it’s too bad, says Remen Evensen.

Want more stability

Kristoffer Eriksen Sundal lost the rest of the season after the fall in Holmenkollen. He is unsure whether his knee injury is a direct consequence of the changes.

– With my knee injury, it didn’t feel like that then and there. But I agree that the equipment changes have meant that the average of landings over a whole season has become harder, he says to NRK and adds:

– If next year it will be a little less extensive in changing equipment, then I think there is more room to be able to work on technique and body. Then we didn’t have to test 150 new things and worry about it all. My personal opinion is that I hope something will come that is easier to deal with, he says.

Johann André Forfang agrees with his teammate.

– What we athletes want is that what we are going to jump with should be a little more stable and predictable, says Forfang to NRK and adds:

– But it is very easy to collect all the injuries and just say that this is because of this, but all the stories are different.

– Don’t think about the total package

Remen Evensen explains that the equipment changes have caused the athletes to fly worse, and that they are therefore forced to set higher speeds.

This will again give a higher angle towards landing, which will give a greater load, explains the expert.

– When you have to land at a high angle and a bent failure in the knee, it is obvious to me that it causes too much wear and tear on the knee. Then it is easy to think that FIS has not thought enough about the overall package, he says.

Race director Pertile does not want to take self-criticism until they have looked carefully at the scope and the reasons.

– If the equipment is to blame, we will take our share of the responsibility, but first we have to make a proper analysis, he says.

– What can FIS do differently?

– I would look more at how they can straighten their knees on landing to limit it. If you remove the bent struts, you will get a straighter knee when landing, which I think is beneficial. Then it is up to the athletes to be good at keeping their skis flat in the air, says NRK’s ​​jumping expert and adds:

– It is not easy to say what is right, but we must do everything we can to keep the sport injury-free. That does not make FIS as it is now.