The Finnish Ski Association has formally requested an investigation into the men’s sprint at the 2026 Winter Olympics, referring the matter to the independent ethics body of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS), İdman.Biz reports.
According to the federation, it has not received an official decision regarding a previously lodged protest and considers the lack of clarification unusual, particularly after what it described as a public admission of error by FIS. The dispute centres on the Olympic sprint race, where Finland raised concerns over potential breaches of equipment preparation rules.
Finnish officials allege that the Norwegian team used a waxing device not included on the approved equipment list, having reportedly received separate authorisation from FIS without other teams being informed. It was also claimed that a liquid substance prohibited under competition regulations was present in the United States service area. FIS rejected the protest on procedural grounds, stating that it had been submitted after the deadline, and did not assess the substance of the claims.
Executive director Marlena Valtasola said: “We have not received a formal ruling on the protest or answers to our questions. We find it strange that the case was effectively not examined, despite an acknowledgement of an error.” She added that Finland is asking the FIS ethics body to investigate the fairness of the competition, stressing that “it cannot be the case that some participants compete under different rules than others.”
The Finnish Olympic Committee has backed the federation’s position, with team leader Janne Hanninen stating that an apology alone is insufficient following a serious mistake and that the situation requires a thorough review.
Norway’s Johannes Klaebo won gold in the sprint final, with Ben Ogden taking silver and Oskar Vike bronze. Finland’s Lauri Vuorinen finished fourth, narrowly missing out on a medal.
