Leksvik wanted to field a 15-year-old in Sunday’s men’s relay in the National Championships, and applied to the Norwegian Skiing Association for an exemption from the regulations.
– It took about half an hour, then the dispensation application was flatly rejected, says Kristoffer Moan in Leksvik to TV 2.
At the same time, two 14-year-old girls are registered for the women’s relay, and there are 57-year-olds in both the men’s and women’s classes.
– It is very strange that you can bring a 14-year-old on the girls’ side, and then it is not allowed for a top-trained 16-year-old boy. It would have been zero problem for the association to have given a dispensation and changed the regulations at the next crossroads, Moan believes.
– Discrimination
He is surprised that girls who are in the 15-year-old class are allowed to start, but not boys who are a year older.
– It’s discrimination, it’s as simple as that, says Moan.
Erik Husby, who is head of events at the Norwegian Ski Association, understands why Moan reacts.
– The issue of discrimination between girls and boys there can perhaps be discussed, but that is how we are now, he says.
– So you simply follow the regulations?
– Yes. It may seem square, but there is a thought behind every rule.
ANSWERS: Erik Husby understands parts of Moan’s frustration, but relates to the current regulations. Photo: TV 2.
– Klink tull
Moan, who is a former oiler for the national cross-country team, is not satisfied with the explanation they have received.
– We have not received a good explanation. One was that it was too much work for the Ski Association to take the dispensations, as he was too young, but I could have volunteered and taken all the dispensations. And then it’s true that they don’t usually go that distance in circuit races and Norwegian Cup races, but that’s utter nonsense. A well-trained athlete in boys 16 flies through a 10-kilometer course, he believes.
Event manager Husby explains that the age limits in the men’s and women’s classes have been different for many years.
– The rules are quite clear that you can from the 15-year-old class on the women’s side and the 17-year-old class on the men’s side. This has been the case for quite a few years now. We have not received any other inquiries that changes are desirable. It is a set of regulations we follow, he says.
– Very exclusionary
Therefore, the dispensation proposal was also rejected.
– The reason is that we follow the regulations we have, and that we feel that there is an interest from Ski-Norge that we should follow those rules. As long as there are no other proposals for the professional meetings for cross-country skiing, then it will be like this, states Husby.
Moan also believes that rejection is sad for the smaller clubs that want to participate in the party.
– It is very exclusionary for small clubs that have few to play at. We would like to be part of the NM party, but then we would rather find athletes who competed 20 years ago and get their starting numbers. This would have been a perfect arena for the young people we have in the circle, to be able to participate and experience what it is like to be a senior athlete.
Husby in the Ski Association understands well that they want to give young, local talents a chance.
– Of course. It is a folk festival to attend here. Of course, we understand that it is desirable to have as many teams as possible on the relay, of course we want that too, but then the limit has to go somewhere, he concludes.
