– I think it’s cute – VG

At the same time, the Prime Minister responded to criticism that it is “empty and hypocritical” when she congratulated the World Cup winners in turn on Twitter, while Norway canceled all major sporting events such as Holmenkollen and Lillehammer.

– I find it strange, says Erna Solberg about the criticism.

– It would be strange if the Prime Minister did not encourage us to do well in the World Cup, even though we have not managed to fix here in Norway with our entry restrictions, the Prime Minister continued.

– It would be strange if we opened ourselves to sports when we have closed important entrances for Norwegian businesses. I will continue to be enthusiastic about the Norwegian athletes who are good.

Sporting President Berit Kjøll tells VG this:

– I have experience that in sports we had managed to be as infection-proof as other countries, but this had a lot to do with entry. I will not comment on that.

Erna Solberg indicates austerity rather than opening up Norwegian society, in the short term.

– We have not promised anything in this meeting. We just listen. That was the purpose of this meeting. We see that sport is demanding, like many others in Norwegian society, says Erna Solberg at a press conference.

– We cannot expect any further reopening of society as a whole in the future, rather a tightening as the infection rates are at the moment, says the Prime Minister.

However, he promised to consider opening locally.

– The most important thing we can say now is: “Persevere!”

Sports president Berit Kjøll shouts warnings about the mental problems and loneliness of young people in today’s Norway closed by the crown.

– It is difficult to see that the measures are in line with the risk of infection, he says at the press conference on Wednesday.

Kjøll said the sport had demanded the following:

1. Open all children’s and youth sports.

2. Open for national league play in the best sports.

3. That as many young adults as possible who have not been able to drive since March 2020 rejoin the activity.

4. Local measures instead of national, depending on the traffic light model.

– Sport does not create more risk of infection in society, says Kjøll, and believes that sport will be more important than ever when the pandemic ends.

– We have prioritized children and young people as best we can, says Culture Minister Abid Raja, and we promised that they will analyze the demands of sport in the coming weeks.

– We had a constructive meeting. I experienced that they listened to us, although we did not draw any conclusions, sports president Berit Kjøll tells VG.

– I think the elite series will start in April, but it depends on the infection situation, it continues.

Kjøll believes that professional athletes have been neglected in relation to other professionals. He also believes that a better dialogue with politicians is needed:

– We have experienced that after Christmas conclusions have been drawn that we have not been involved in and where there have been some somewhat strange conclusions.

It has been almost two weeks since the government postponed the reopening of the national league games. By then it had already stopped for four weeks. Sports President Berit Kjøll requested an urgent meeting with Prime Minister Erna Solberg with a view to the best sports and grassroots sports for adults. On Wednesday, Berit Kjøll, outgoing NIF General Secretary Karen Kvalevåg, elite Director Lise Klaveness of the Norwegian Football Association and General Secretary Erik Langerud of the Norwegian Handball Association met with the Prime Minister and the Minister of Culture.