Soon to be a ruin?

Great indignation! “Ski jumping Wembley” threatens the end

Will Holmenkollen become a ruin?

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

Are the legendary ski jumping competitions at Holmenkollen in Norway soon to come to an end? The Norwegian government wants to cut considerable funding for the sports facilities there. The only exception is biathlon. The ski jumping hill there is even being compared to the legendary "Wembley Stadium". The outrage is therefore great. 

The Norwegian Ministry of Culture and Equality has announced that it will revoke the national status of the sports facilities at Holmenkollen. This is a drastic step, as a sports facility with national status in Norway is entitled to public funding of up to 50 percent of the expenditure for expansion, conversion or renovation. 

This money is therefore likely to be lacking in future and will make it much more difficult to finance the facilities and competitions. According to Minister Lubna Jaffery, this should apply to Nordic skiing with ski jumping, cross-country skiing and combined, but not to biathlon. The mighty ski jumping hill could thus become a ruin.

Cradle of Nordic skiing
However, the government is now facing strong headwinds as a result. The ski jump at Holmenkollen is considered a national sporting shrine by many people. After the plans were announced, the outrage was therefore huge. 

Big names from sport, politics and society have since publicly declared their displeasure. The Holmenkollen ski jump is the cradle of Nordic skiing and has a symbolic character similar to that of Wembley Stadium in London for soccer, they say. Jaffery, on the other hand, points to the future and existing alternatives, such as the facility in Trondheim, which will host the Nordic World Ski Championships in 2025. 

However, this is not convincing in the emotional debates. The decision as to whether the facility's national status will actually be revoked will be made in a few months' time.