– This is as good as it gets for him. “It’s a gift package,” Iversen said.

– Getting a standard representation deal now, going into this season, I think is a win for them, Northug said.

The two from Trønder followed the case from the sidelines after Klæbo chose to reject the national team in April. After lengthy negotiations, it ended with the ski star getting a standard representation agreement this winter.

This means the ski kits will be treated the same as all runners who have not been selected for the national team – with commercial freedom between each World Cup weekend.

– Then he can do whatever he wants in between weekends and wear the national team clothes on the weekends. Then he has the opportunity to establish a very good exercise plan if he so desires. “I think he’s satisfied,” Iversen said.

– I think they’re very happy to have reached an agreement, so they can walk away and now focus on scoring points in the World Cup and maybe winning the World Cup overall, Northug said.

Cross country manager Espen Bjervig responded to Northug’s description of the Ski Association as the loser as follows:

– I have to deal with existing regulations. To that extent, the cross country committee and athletes must also do so. We cannot, just because of one practitioner, start changing all our rules, but we can evaluate them and see what the benefits will be in the future.

– Lost

Since breaking with the national team, Klæbo has repeatedly criticized the Ski Association, especially regarding its values.

This fall also saw some back and forth, after cross country manager Espen Bjervig confirmed the issue had been resolved on October 13. Two days later it became known that Bjervig wanted to continue negotiations.

Northug believes the debate has had a negative impact on the Ski Association.

– All the debate in the media about Klæbo’s contract and negotiations is a loss. Unfortunately, there was poor communication, from inception to agreement. Of course, that’s what happens when you’re outside the national team and have a profile as big as Johannes’, he said.

– What do you think of the Ski Association’s handling of this issue?

– No, I think the handling was bad, yes. Now I’ve been involved in such issues myself, and I guess I can also say that I’m not impressed. “I say the same thing today, even though it started happening ten years ago,” said Northug, who declined to make the national team in 2014.

Emil Iversen was also confused by the handling carried out by the association.

– It’s hard for those of us who stand on the outside and don’t know anything, but it’s hard to understand that there is so much going back and forth. “I was pretty close, but it all seemed very strange,” Iversen said.

– What can the Ski Association do?

– The key word is to communicate better and closer. “This is something you need to watch out for, and it seems they are more interested in talking to runners on the national team,” he said.

– Show that you can say no

The Ski Association’s general rules state the following: “A runner who declines an offer to participate on an NSF national team will not be selected by NSF to represent NSF in competition in a season in which the offer of a spot on the national team is in effect, unless special circumstances exist.”

The leader of the cross-country committee, Torbjørn Skogstad, explained Klæbo’s exclusion as follows:

“Johannes wanted to carry out a different assembly plan from the rest of the team, including regarding height and therefore wanted to get together with the others at the meeting to some extent. The cross-country committee considers this to be a good enough reason to grant the exception permitted by the NSF regulations.”

Without exception, there are rules that could stop Klæbo from going to the World Cup. But now that he is allowed to leave, Iversen considers the agreement to be proof that these regulations do not apply.

– This clearly shows that saying no to the national team is permissible, said Iversen, who believes that Klæbo’s decision will not damage the national team model.

Petter Northug believes it is time to modernize the national team model.

– Maybe there is a model that allows to be Johannes Høsflot Klæbo at home and more privately, but also to be part of the national team when there is a season. He believes this will not work with the current model.

Bjervig: – Have to find an intermediate solution

Earlier this autumn it was announced that cross-country skiing boss Bjervig was stepping down from the ski association at the turn of the year. Now he is proposing a new type of agreement that would apply to athletes who refuse to join the national team.

– What happened this year, when Johannes rejected the team… On the one hand, we received criticism because our system was rigid. When you adapt, you are also criticized. I think an intermediate solution must be found.

– If the Ski Association is the loser and it’s a landslide victory for Johannes… The rules are there, we’ve discussed them from day one. However, both parties want to reach a long-term solution, but we do not agree.