[ad_1]
The Alpine national team is closely monitoring the infection situation in Europe.
Last season’s World Cup winner Aleksander Aamodt Kilde (28) received a wake-up call when he tested positive for Covid-19 last month.
It happened after he had participated in the first World Cup race of the season in Austria and then he was on a sponsorship assignment in Switzerland.
The infection has now increased in Europe since Kilde was infected, but the 28-year-old will complete the World Cup season as soon as he recovers from the disease.
– It’s definitely risky, but I really want to compete as long as they put health first. If FIS and those who are going to organize it think it is safe, I will ask. I have a lot of faith in that, says Kilde.
Read also: Corona Infected Source: – Scary
He tells Nettavisen that he sees that it can be a challenge, but still believes that it will be possible to organize a World Cup race during the winter in Central Europe.
– If safety is prioritized everywhere, then it is possible, says Kilde.
RECOVERED: Aleksander Aamodt Kilde was declared healthy Wednesday after being infected with the coronavirus.
Photo: Stian Lysberg Solum (NTB)
However, the 28-year-old is clear that it will be important for athletes and organizers to take the situation seriously.
– Now I’ve been through a round. If everyone is going through that around here, then it’s a shame. Of course, I hope that as few as possible will contract the virus here, because it is not a fact that we as athletes will completely overcome it. We have to keep our fingers crossed and hope the race organizers do a good job. I believe in that, says the mountaineer.
Kilde himself is unsure where and how he got infected, but suspects it may have happened after the trip home from the World Cup opening in Sölden and the sponsorship assignment in Switzerland.
Both he and sporting director Claus Ryste are clear that the Sölden organizer did a good job in terms of preventing infections.
Read Also: This Will Reveal Cheats. You can also come to Norwegian gyms.
FOLLOW UP: Claus Ryste, sporting director for the Norwegian Alpine team, says they are closely monitoring the infection situation in Europe.
Photo: Berit Roald (NTB)
The sports director: – Cannot participate at any cost
Until further notice, sporting director Ryste therefore still relies on the infection protocol of the national team itself and the International Ski Federation (FIS).
However, it comes with a clear message for Nettavisen.
– We do not run races at any cost.
Ryste has recorded the growing infection in Europe and says that they must assess the situation in the future with a view to Norway’s participation in World Cup races in the future.
– It must be continually considered when you see how it changes in society when it comes to the pressure of infection. We need to look at where we are going to travel, what the consequences are and what kind of risk we are taking. This is an assessment that we must make as a federation and as a national team. I think you have to do continuous monitoring, explains Ryste to Nettavisen.
– We cannot participate at all costs, but it is the profession of athletes and we try to facilitate them. At the same time, it should be safe for those who are going to participate, says the sports manager.
Also read: FIS requirements cost the jersey. The national team expects a bill of one million
He explains that he felt safe during the opening of the World Cup in Sölden, but believes that the challenge when it comes to avoiding infection comes when the national team has to move.
Ryste is aware that the sports management takes the situation seriously.
– We must take responsibility for the spread of infection and take care of employees so that they do not become infected. It is a demanding situation. We have to make an assessment of the day to day. To this day, we have confidence in FIS. We also think our own scheme has worked very well, says Ryste.
Also read: FIS document reveals new details on cross-country doping scandal
Ready for changes
Therefore, it is likely that there will be Norwegian participation in the World Cup races that will come in alpine in the future.
The competition is initially on the assembly line, but Ryste does not rule out that we will see changes as a result of the infection situation in Europe.
The sporting director explains that the situation has changed quite drastically compared to when the calendar was set up this fall.
– So, the pressure of the infection was completely different than what we see today, says Ryste.
Also Read: Here Are 15 Sports Movies You Must See (+)
He says they must deal with whatever changes come. At the same time, he does not hide that it is a challenge that there is still a lot of uncertainty associated with the season.
– It is a waste of energy for athletes as well as for us.
However, the athletic director explains that everyone tries to focus on what they can do and their impression is that athletes are good at doing just that.
The next race of the Alpine Ski World Cup will be in Finnish Levi on November 21 and 22. There, it is organized as a regular race for both women and men in slalom.
The following weekend there will be parallel slalom at Lech / Zürs in Austria.
[ad_2]
