There’s junk in this little room

The controversial suit discussion in ski jumping has not calmed down for weeks. Ever since an active athlete told Blick (“Pretty much everyone cheats, I have to keep up with them or I don’t stand a chance”), the fight for every inch of material has been the ongoing topic.

The Nordic combined athletes are also amazed at the excesses of their specialized colleagues. “We have the same rules and can’t understand what the giant suit specialists can jump. They are almost in wingsuit,” said a member of the German team on ZDF today. And Swiss coach Martin Künzle has already indicated to Blick that the gray area has long been reached: “We have to reach the border and continue as long as we can.” Means: Increases the crotch area for more surface area. If you don’t, you just don’t seem to be competitive. This not only applies to the World Cup, but now also to the World Cup in Planica.

Are there now stricter controls in Slovenia? Blick pays material boss Christian Kathol (57) a visit to his control room. De Kärtner emphasizes: “There are always strict controls. Not just at the World Cup.”

Kathol does not understand the statement of the anonymous athlete, who said that he “cannot take material control seriously”: “I do not agree with him that everyone should go over the limit. I know many athletes from all countries who all being scrupulous to stay within the limits.” But he also has to admit: “Of course there are jumpers who go further.” There is always cheating in Kathol’s room.

Not everyone has a poker face

It often happened that athletes entered the control room nervously. Aga Baczkowska, Inspector of Women, agrees. The inexperienced guys in particular are tense, but so are some who may have cheated with the substance. Not everyone has a poker face.

The controllers have their own methods and lists of who they choose in matches. Observations, bad experiences or gut feelings are decisive here.

Still, Kathol and his team can never control all jumpers. A maximum of 80 to 85 percent per race weekend. Means: well under 50 percent per match. There is a good chance that you will get through with deviant material.

Kathol shows Blick in Planica how to control using a ledge. However, not during a competition, but before qualifying for jumping on the small hill. During the competition, the company is too big, Kathol justifies, and no one is allowed to be present at the inspection. Not even the trainers of the selected jumpers.

In the course of the heated material discussions, Kathol still wants to be transparent: “I have nothing to hide.” He does not want to say again that he was sharply criticized by his predecessor Sepp Gratzer (67) and labeled as inexperienced. He defended himself in early February by accusing Gratzer, among other things, of a lack of communication.

“It Doesn’t Matter Whether I Like It Or Not”

Under Gratzer, the checks were still carried out while standing. This is now done lying or sitting, which means that there are considerably more options for manipulation. “A mistake”, as some say in the scene. Kathol, who has been with the FIS since 2005 but only held his current job since last July, has his hands tied here, as he says: “This is a decision made by the jumping committee last spring. I work with this method. Whether I like it or not is irrelevant.”

He does say that he will soon be able to sleep better due to a planned change in the measurement method. This spring there will be a 3D system that automatically measures the jumpers – so height, step, volume. And very important: the whole thing happens again standing up. “It doesn’t get any more neutral,” says Kathol, who argues in principle for more checks. At the start, but also in the finish area. An attempt in Sapporo in January had already opened “new perspectives” for him.

However, Kathol does not believe that the discussions about the 3D system will disappear. He says with a smile, “It’s always been there anyway.”

Source : Blick