Norwegian cross-country skier Astrid Øyre Slind has revealed the pressure she faced from the Norwegian Ski Federation to join the national team for the upcoming season, just like her fellow athletes.
In Norway, lengthy and intense negotiations have been ongoing between the Norwegian Ski Federation, several skiers, and private teams, all aimed at securing the athletes’ participation in the national team for the next season.
“I wrote a long and detailed statement explaining why I still want to stay outside the national team and compete for Team Aker Dæhlie. The ski committee reviewed it. I was denied. So either I have to be on the national team, or I’m out of it and then I’ll have to give up the World Cup,” Slind told TV2.
The negotiations primarily involved Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, Astrid Øyre Slind, Karoline Grøtting, and Karoline Simpson-Larsen. These athletes had expressed a desire to train on their own programs or with private teams, but the Norwegian Ski Federation initially denied their requests. After lengthy talks, the skiers eventually reached a compromise with the organization and secured their spots on the national team.
