Geiger compares Norwegian suit cheats to speeding drunk drivers

Germany's Karl Geiger in action during the men's 2nd competition of the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup in Oberstdorf. Geiger has called for tougher penalties for deliberate suit violations, drawing comparisons to traffic offences. Karl-Josef Hildenbrand/dpa

Germany ski jumper Karl Geiger has called for tougher penalties for deliberate suit violations, drawing comparisons to traffic offences.

Following the discovery that the Norwegians knowingly manipulated suits during the large hill event at their home world championships in Trondheim earlier this month, Marius Lindvik, Johann André Forfang, three other jumpers and three coaches were suspended.

The Norwegian team has admitted cheating, but Lindvik and Forfang have so far denied any knowledge of the illegal practices. The governing FIS is probing whether manipulation has happened more often.

Ski-jumping suits are highly complex and errors regularly occur. But Geiger said what the Norwegians have done is a different magnitude.

"If you drive 110 kilometres instead of 100 on a country road, no one says anything. If you drive 120, you have to expect to be flashed by the speed gun. If you drive 140, it gets more expensive. If you drive 160, you lose your licence. If you drive 160 without a licence and under the influence of alcohol, the penalty is correspondingly higher," Geiger told German broadcaster ARD.

"There is a clear difference between a rule violation and manipulation. The Norwegians exploited the rules for their own benefit. They tried to bypass the entire system."

The Norwegian team, in the presence of coach Magnus Brevig, had sewn an unauthorized stiff band into the suit, which was exposed through anonymously recorded videos. It was done to make the suit more stable in the wind.

"This was done so covertly and cleverly that it must have consequences," Geiger demanded.

If Lindvik were to be stripped of his world championship gold medal on the normal hill retrospectively, German Andreas Wellinger would be awarded the title.

The other Nordic skiing sports have completed their World Cup seasons, but ski jumping has one more meeting next weekend on the Planica flying hill in Slovenia.

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