“Negotiations between Johannes Høsflot Klæbo and Norwegian Ski Association: Challenges and Hurdles”

Ten years ago, there were tough negotiations between the Ski Association and Petter Northug. VG has spoken to three of the players from that time, who all point out the challenges that await today’s ski management and Johannes Høsflot Klæbo (26).

– I remember that it was quite chaotic around that representation agreement. There is no doubt that there is a large and comprehensive cabal that needs to be put in place, says Petter Northug to VG.

Recently, it became known that Klæbo chooses to stand outside the Norwegian Ski Association’s scheme from May until the start of the World Cup. This means that Trønder – like Northug – must sign a so-called representation agreement for the winter.

Northug can sign that able to become a conflict-filled affair.

There is particular tension over whether, for example, Klæbo acquires new private sponsors who are in direct conflict with the Ski Association’s own. Just as Northug did ten years ago with Coop.

Hans Erik Johnsen from the law firm Wiersholm was involved in the negotiations between the Norwegian Skiing Association and Petter Northug at the time. He was Coop’s lawyer at the time.

He believes that there will be several decisive points of contention to be negotiated between the parties. Johnsen lists:

• The duration. When does the performance begin and end.
• The relationship between the association’s sponsors and Klæbo’s private sector.
• How much is he obliged to participate in national team activities, both sporting and commercial.
• Sporting conditions such as access to support equipment, the Olympiatoppen, lubricators etc.
• Finances (such as cost coverage, remuneration for marketing activities, scholarships etc.

– Here, a lot depends on how Klæbo and NSF communicate. The negotiations depend on how much “war” Klæbo wants and how keen NSF is on cooperation, he says.

Johnsen reminds that everything will of course become more difficult if the ski star gets new sponsors who are in direct industry conflict with the association’s own.

The lawyer emphasizes that he has no detailed knowledge of either Klæbo’s situation or how NSF handles representative runners today, beyond what is known through the press.

– If he starts a sponsorship war, the level of conflict will probably escalate, since this is understandably important to NSF. If he refrains from taking on sponsors who are in conflict with the association’s own, then a lot is about what they will demand that he participate in marketing assignments (physically and pictures) and how this is adapted to his sporting plan.

Petter Northug also recalls what the climate between himself and the union was like:

– It was tough negotiations, he says.

They tended to linger until the late autumn months. In both 2014 and 2015, the parties only agreed in October/November, shortly before the start of the season.

– In the representation agreement, there were points that Coop expected to be included. Coop wasn’t really supposed to be visible during the winter months when I competed. But they wanted to anyway. It was that balance that was difficult to achieve, says Northug.

Since 2013, 2014 and 2015, things have changed. Especially social media as a marketing channel.

– There is now a greater focus on commercialization in own channels. The sponsors see more value in individual athletes who have many followers. Johannes himself is clear and orderly there, but will receive clear terms from the association of what he can and cannot do. It will probably be tough for him to accommodate, predicts Northug.

Former cross-country head Åge Skinstad, today head of the WC in Trondheim 2025, was central to the association’s negotiations with Petter Northug.

He is sure that Klæbo and the cross-country management will agree in the end, but points to another area that could cause trouble.

Namely if Klæbo wants to include his own people in the Norwegian support apparatus next winter. Such as using your own lubricant or physiotherapist during the competitions.

– I think it is one of the things that is most important to clarify. But I perceive Johannes, his father and the surrounding team as wise. I think they are looking to minimize the risk of a lot of unsportsmanlike fuss, says Skinstad and continues:

– For the union’s part, I think frequent contact is now important so that they know where they are with each other, is the way to resolve things.

Cross-country manager Espen Bjervig has received two questions from VG regarding the matter.

Both about how he envisions the negotiations with “Team Klæbo” and what he thinks can be both easy and difficult to agree on. He responds as follows in an e-mail:

“We are in dialogue and together we will look at how to solve any challenges we may face in the future”, writes Bjervig.