Athletes who have won Olympic gold medals in ski jumping face criminal charges for alleged manipulation of equipment during the world championships.
International Ski Federation Charges Norwegian Ski Jumpers and Team Officials with Ethics Violations
The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) has formally charged Norwegian ski jumpers Marius Lindvik and Johann André Forfang, along with three team officials, with ethics and competition violations related to alleged tampering with ski jumping suits at the 2023 World Ski Championships in Trondheim, Norway.
The specific allegation involves equipment manipulation in the men’s large hill event. Both Lindvik and Forfang were disqualified after equipment inspections, with Lindvik losing his silver medal (he had finished second) and Forfang, who placed fourth, also disqualified.
The accused team staff members include then-head coach Magnus Brevik, assistant coach Thomas Lobben, and service staff member Adrian Livelten, who were provisionally suspended in March alongside the jumpers.
The FIS conducted a thorough investigation, interviewing 38 witnesses and examining 88 pieces of evidence. The manipulation was captured on secretly filmed footage, and the alterations could be confirmed only by tearing apart the seams of the crotch area on the Norwegian ski suits.
The case will be judged by three members of the ethics panel. No timetable has been given for hearings or verdicts in this case, but the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics are approaching, where Lindvik had been a favourite to defend his Olympic large hill title.
FIS stated that the disqualifications during the first competition of the new season were due to technical issues, not ill intent. The manipulation involved increasing the size of pre-approved and microchipped ski suits, which can help athletes fly further with more aerodynamic resistance.
Formal protests were made by the Austria, Slovenia, and Poland teams. Bans, fines, disqualification of results, and other punishments are possible outcomes for the FIS Ethics Committee. No one else will be charged in the case, according to FIS. Verdicts must be reached "no later than 30 days after the hearing process is concluded," according to FIS.
As of the latest updates in August 2025, no final outcomes or penalties have been reported. Lindvik's gold medal in the men’s normal hill event at the worlds in Trondheim, plus Norway’s bronze in the men’s team event on the large hill, are at risk. The FIS has tightened up its rules on ski jump suits in response to this incident.
[1] BBC News
[2] The Guardian
[3] CNN
Despite the International Ski and Snowboard Federation's (FIS) charges against Norwegian ski jumpers Marius Lindvik and Johann André Forfang for ethics and competition violations related to sports equipment manipulation, the specific allegation involves the men’s large hill event at the 2023 World Ski Championships. The FIS has not given a timetable for hearings or verdicts in this case.
The accused team staff members include then-head coach Magnus Brevik, assistant coach Thomas Lobben, and service staff member Adrian Livelten. The manipulation involved increasing the size of pre-approved ski jump suits, which can help athletes fly further with more aerodynamic resistance.
