SANDNES (VG) The British cross-country profile Andrew Musgrave (32) is currently without paid coaches and without a meeting day with the national team. Worst of all: He probably won’t be able to go to all the competitions he wants to in the winter.
Less than 20 minutes ago
–
– Yes, there is a crisis, admits Musgrave in a conversation with VG, after he fought his way into third place in the tough classic race Lysebotn Opp on Wednesday afternoon.
The Briton, who has marked the top ten lists in both the World Cup and championships in recent years, smiles a little bravely. He emphasizes that he is an optimist by nature.
But the reality is brutal at the moment, for both himself, Andrew Young and James Clugnet – the trio that make up the British cross-country team.
Not least for the Norwegian coaching duo who are responsible for them, namely Hans Kristian Stadheim and Jostein Vinjerui, who have not been paid a salary since June.
The team is – for this and future seasons – not close to getting the funds they have had at their disposal for the last four-year period from the British association and UK Sports, the British answer to the Olympic summit, after the Olympic results did not meet the association’s demands.
– Unfair
That makes Norwegian national team runners shake their heads.
– It’s an extreme shame, says Simen Hegstad Krüger to VG after he himself smashed all the competitors in the skating race Lysebotn Opp.
–The Lyn boy says the British are a fresh addition to cross-country skiing, and thinks it is “really cool” that they are fighting at the top.
– I know the work they have put into that team. I really hope they get a plan in place. I wish them that. They deserve to be in this circus. It must be extremely difficult to put in the work that needs to be done when there is so much uncertainty.
Hans Christer Holund ended up behind Krüger and in second place in the test of strength deep in Lysefjorden on Wednesday. He says the news about the British crisis is sad to hear.
– Those guys are just as hard-working as we are. It’s a shame to see that they don’t get anywhere near as good a plan as we have. It is unfair, he says.
–Kudos to the coaches
Musgrave takes the opportunity to pay tribute to his coaches who have not been paid since June.
– Hans Kristian and Jostein have not had a permanent contract after the winter. They have been paid monthly until June, but have not received anything since then. They have been legends, quite simply. They both stand up and contribute voluntarily to put a plan in place for us, says Musgrave.
This week, however, there is reason to smile. Musgrave is happy, gets to train with his teammates, go through tough competitions and be part of the environment during this year’s Blinkfestival in Sandnes.
But when he returns home to Trondheim next week, it will be a life of uncertainty.
–In short, the British cross-country skiers through GB Snowsport, the British Skiing Association, have a budget that consists of one particularly important income stream. It is from UK Sport, equivalent to the Olympic Games in Norway, which therefore distributes money to Olympic and Paralympic sports.
UK Sport also has a so-called “world class” program that British cross-country skiing has been part of until this spring. A program which, according to Musgrave, means that you can not only run a national team venture, but a “sickly good” venture.
– But there is a requirement to deliver in the championship. They basically look at four years, one Olympic cycle, at a time. If you deliver worse than planned, you can lose the money.
According to Musgrave, it’s about winning, finishing on the podium or being among the top eight in the championship. The 32-year-old himself has delivered at least a top eight result in every championship since the last Olympics in Pyeongchang in 2018. But the Olympics in Beijing last winter was an exception for both himself, Young and Clugnet.
Fear of the WC
Therefore, there has been great uncertainty about what would happen to the team after the Olympics. After much back and forth, the team learned this week that cross-country skiing is not part of UK Sport’s “world class” programme.
The association still has some funds, but it must be distributed among several sports and is far less than what they have received in the past.
– We know that what we can get at best is nowhere near enough to run the team with a coach, a lubricant and to send athletes to races. We already know now that there will be no gatherings this autumn. We will manage to get to the races, but not a whole World Cup season. And maybe not the WC in Planica either, says Musgrave, who continues:
– But I don’t want to whine. Because I know that sport is about performing. We knew the Olympics were damn important. That’s how top sport works. At the same time, we have good skiers and can be a really good team. We have been on the podium several times. It’s a shame if we don’t get to participate in the World Cup because we can’t afford it…
–
