Ongoing controversy in ski jumping as five Norwegian athletes face charges for allegedly manipulating their competition suits
Norwegian Ski Jumpers and Team Staff Charged with Equipment Manipulation
Two Olympic gold medalist ski jumpers, Marius Lindvik and Johann André Forfang, along with three staff members, have been formally charged with ethics violations for alleged tampering with ski suits at the 2025 Nordic World Ski Championships in Norway. The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) conducted an investigation into equipment manipulation, supported by video evidence and confessions from team officials.
The suit tampering allegations relate to illegal modifications that improve aerodynamics, potentially allowing athletes to jump farther. As a result, Lindvik's gold medal from the men's normal hill event and Norway's bronze in the men's team event at those worlds are at risk of disqualification.
The FIS Ethics Committee may impose punishments including bans, fines, and result disqualifications, but no hearings or verdict timelines have been announced yet. The charges against Lindvik and Forfang were signed off by the FIS ruling council, and the case will be judged by three members of the ethics panel, with verdicts to be reached no later than 30 days after the hearing process is concluded.
Three staffers on the Norway men's ski jumping team have also been charged with ethics violations. The manipulation of ski suits involved increasing their size beyond the pre-approved and microchipped limits by FIS. The alterations could only be confirmed by tearing apart the seams of the crotch area on the Norwegian ski suits.
This scandal has intensified scrutiny of ski jumping suits, leading to stricter suit rule enforcement ahead of the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. Early in the 2025-26 season, six male ski jumpers were disqualified for suit infractions, partly a result of tightened regulations triggered by the Norwegian scandal. Although FIS officials say many recent disqualifications stem from teams adjusting to rule changes rather than intentional cheating, the controversy has disrupted competition.
Compared to earlier controversies, such as irregular suit sizes causing disqualifications at the 2022 Beijing Olympics (without tampering evidence), this Norwegian case is unprecedented in confirmed deliberate equipment manipulation. The formal protests were lodged by the Austria, Slovenia, and Poland teams. A third team staffer, Thomas Lobben, is now also charged.
The case has shaken the tight-knit communities of ski jumping and Norwegian sports. The manipulation was captured on secretly filmed footage. The charges against Lindvik and Forfang were signed off by the FIS ruling council, and the manipulation of ski suits involved increasing their size beyond the pre-approved and microchipped limits by FIS. FIS stated that the disqualifications were due to technical issues and did not suspect "ill intent."
The latest update is that two Norwegian Olympic gold medalist ski jumpers, Marius Lindvik and Johann André Forfang, along with three staff members, were formally charged with ethics violations for alleged tampering with ski suits at the 2025 Nordic World Ski Championships in Norway. The FIS Ethics Committee has the power to impose bans, fines, and disqualification of results as punishments, but no hearings or verdict timelines have been announced yet.
The formal charges against Marius Lindvik and Johann André Forfang involve allegations of tampering with ski suits in the 2025 Nordic World Ski Championships, with potential violations including illegally enhancing aerodynamics. The FIS Ethics Committee, currently investigating equipment manipulation, has the authority to impose penalties such as bans, fines, and results disqualification.
