Wellinger quarrels with world federation: "not included"
Olympic ski jumping champion Andreas Wellinger has expressed his dissatisfaction with the lack of mixed competitions next winter. "I think it's a shame. It's a damn interesting format. You can see that from the enthusiasm of the spectators and how close the competitions are. We have three super team competitions - I would prefer three mixed competitions," said Wellinger ahead of the start of the season this weekend in Ruka, Finland.
Only two athletes per nation compete in the so-called Super Team. "I'm a fan of the competitions where four from one nation are allowed to compete," added Wellinger. In recent years, there have always been mixed competitions in the World Cup. The 2022 Olympic mixed event in Beijing caused some debate because it was overshadowed by several suit-related disqualifications.
Wellinger is also unhappy about how little say the athletes have. When asked whether they are involved in decisions, the 28-year-old said: "Not at all. They are made way above our heads. We are the ones who have to bear the brunt of it or are allowed to represent it. Good or bad doesn't matter. The question is this: Where should skiing develop?"
From Wellinger's point of view, "the goal should be to maintain traditions". The ski jumper thinks it's a "damn shame" that the team competition is increasingly being replaced by the Super Team.
Andreas Wellinger, the World Cup winner in ski jumping, strongly advocates for more mixed competitions in future Winter sports events. Despite the success of the Super Team competitions in recent World Cups, Wellinger believes that traditional team events with more athletes from each nation should be prioritized, similar to his preference for the mixed events held previously.
Source: www.dpa.com
