The Swedish Olympic champion and world record holder delivered his stinging criticism at a press conference in the Olympic village ahead of Friday’s 10,000 metres on Friday.
The Express newspaper’s dispatcher asked a question about an article published on the website of the Dutch federation (KNSB).
Here we are told that the Netherlands has a scientist accredited for the games whose task is to try to influence the organisers to make the ice as favourable as possible for the Dutch skaters.
Van der Poel explained that he read the article a few days ago and it upset him.
He said that first of all he wanted to say that he has the greatest respect for the Dutch skaters and that he has the greatest respect for the ice makers in the Olympic arena.
But van der Poel said the article means we now have to discuss fair play in skating.
– The article explicitly states that a lobbyist is trying to change decisions made. This is corruption. This is an attempt to change the playing field in your favor by using unethical and immoral means. I don’t understand how the KNSB can let this happen and why it is letting the world know,” van der Poel said, referring to the article being posted on the federation’s own website.
Van der Poel continued:
– This is embarrassing, not only for the KNSB, but also for the Dutch skaters, who have to represent the KNSB. This is the biggest scandal in our sport. We have doping scandals, but I can’t see that this would be less serious, van der Poel said.
Johan Röjler, van der Poel’s coach, said the article had been raised at a leaders’ meeting and also with the International Skating Union (ISU) and the Swedish Olympic Committee. He says they saw the article a few days ago and found that it deals with a clearly unethical approach to the sport. The matter was raised with the Dutch.
What response did you get?
– They said this guy is a scientist trying to help everyone create better conditions. The article says, and I quote, “By pointing things out and pushing for changes that are in our favor to succeed in getting things done.” They even call this guy a lobbyist. This has no place in our sport. I don’t think this is in the spirit of the Olympics or the sport,” Röjler said.
He is not satisfied with the answer.
– A response that would have satisfied us more would have been if said that this article was written in an inaccurate manner and it does not represent our views. But that’s not the answer we got. They respond that they are sorry if they caused us any inconvenience,” Röjler says.
Van der Poel says there are two ways to look at the article.
– Either they are really trying to make the ice as advantageous as possible for the Dutch. That’s corruption, that’s fucked up. Or they’re running the article because they want to create a psychological thing against the other skaters. Maybe both things are true, van der Poel says and continues.
– If it’s a psychological thing, what’s next. Should I get someone to try to distract my opponents. I don’t want to get there,” says van der Poel.
The world champion stressed that he feels it is his moral duty to address the article.
– I don’t believe for a second that any of the Dutch riders are behind this, but they can’t talk about it because they are so dependent on the KNSB. I’m the only one who can bring it up,” says van der Poel, who says he has spoken to 5,000m silver medallist Patrick Roest, who is his close friend.
– He said this guy is here to improve the ice and that he has been to several championships. So this is nothing new, it’s been going on for a long time,” van der Poel said.
Text updated
–
