Johaug’s manager says ‘Therese is disappointed and surprised’

Therese JohaugTherese Johaug.Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB scanpix

Therese Johaug’s manager, Jørn Ernst, was very surprised at the International Ski Federation’s (FIS) sentencing in the doping case against the Norwegian cross-country skier. Johaug is said to be taking it hard.

‘Therese was of course very disappointed, we had hoped that we could put a line under this issue. That was also why we chose not to appeal, to put it behind us and move on’, Ernst said.

‘Now we just have to accept the situation and await what happens next. We follow the plan we have in terms of training and preparing for the next season.’

Johaug was out on a trip when she got the discouraging message from her support team at dawn on Tuesday. It must have felt like a hammer blow to her.

A case in the Adjudication Committee of the Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Confederation of Sports to the Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS) could easily last for over six months. There is usually a panel of three CAS officials working each case.

FIS president, Gian Franco Kasper, was among those who gave his view on the matter.

‘I have no evidence before me that I can show Norwegians. But normally, if she is guilty, it is quite clear that she should get four years exclusion. There is not any question about that’, said Kasper to Dagbladet newspaper in the autumn of 2016.

The International Ski Federation (FIS) chose to run the case before the sport CAS.

It can’t be ruled out that Johaug’s suspension might be extended further. Should that happen, she could miss next year’s Olympic Games in South Korea. Johaug saw her teammates take all six cross-country gold medals in the Lahti World Championships recently.

Johaug was sentenced to 13 months’ exclusion by the Norwegian legal system for sports. If the sentence stands, she will be able to train with the national team in September, and participate when the season begins in November.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today