The International Ski Federation has dismissed a protest from the Finnish team regarding the Norwegian team's use of a specialized waxing machine during the Olympic sprint. Although Finland accused its rivals of breaking the rules and unfair competition, the governing body deemed the appeal unfounded on formal grounds. The main reason for the decision was the exceeding of the permissible time for submitting an official complaint after the competition, which was won by Johannes Klaebo.

Protest Dismissed on Formal Grounds

The FIS federation rejected the Finnish complaint because it was submitted after the statutory deadline of 15 minutes following the competition's conclusion.

Controversial Machine

Norwegians accused of using a specialized device for heating glue, which allegedly violated the principle of fair competition.

Results Remain Valid

The gold medal won by Johannes Klaebo is not threatened, and the final classification has been definitively approved by the judges.

Controversy over equipment preparation technology dominated backstage discussions during the Winter Olympics. The International Ski and Snowboard Federation officially announced the rejection of a protest filed by the Finnish team. The Finns questioned the legality of the Norwegian team's actions, which allegedly used an innovative wax application machine during the men's sprint. According to media reports, the device heats and precisely applies a thin layer of adhesive substance, which could have given the Norwegians a technical advantage on the course in Tesero. Despite the seriousness of the allegations regarding an alleged breach of rules, the federation did not undertake a substantive assessment of the device. As explained in an official statement, the Finnish staff was late in completing the procedures. According to the current regulations, any protests concerning other competitors' equipment must be submitted within 15 minutes of the announcement of the race's unofficial results. The Finns sent their letter only several days after the fact, which automatically rendered their complaint legally invalid. Representatives of Norway refute the allegations, claiming they had received prior approval from the authorities to use the mentioned equipment, although other teams allegedly were not properly informed of this fact. The competition in cross-country skiing has for years been based on the so-called "wax war," where service personnel seek the most advanced chemical and mechanical solutions to minimize ski friction with the ground. The winner of the disputed race remains Johannes Klaebo, who solidified his position as one of the biggest stars of the Games. It is worth noting that the Finnish objections concerned not only the representatives of Norway but also the team from the United States, although the actions of the leaders in the medal standings aroused the greatest emotions. The FIS decision ends the formal appeal process, meaning the sprint results remain final and will not be changed. However, this situation casts a shadow on communication within the federation, as voices are raised about a lack of transparency in granting approvals for the use of new service technologies during the season's most important events. „The deadlines for filing any objections have passed, therefore the protest is inadmissible.” — FIS Representative [{"position": 1, "name": "Johannes Klaebo", "info": "Norway", "result": "Gold"}, {"position": 2, "name": "Ben Ogden", "info": "USA", "result": "Silver"}, {"position": 3, "name": "Erik Valnes", "info": "Norway", "result": "Bronze"}]

Mentioned People

  • Johannes Klaebo — Norwegian cross-country skier, multiple Olympic champion, whose victory in the sprint was the subject of controversy.