Ebba Andersson on Reduced Prize Money in Janteloppet: 'Don't We Have the Same Value?'

Ebba Andersson on Reduced Prize Money in Janteloppet: "Don't We Have the Same Value?"

Uppdaterad 12 april 2025

Prize money at Janteloppet had promised a total of half a million kronor for both men and women, yet male competitors were awarded a whopping 440,000 kronor more.

As one of the affected athletes, Ebba Andersson remarked, "I've never experienced anything like this."

The Janteloppet, founded by Petter Northug, has been held in Norse Hafjell since 2018. This season, it emphasized equal race distances and prize money for men and women in elite categories.

However, due to a lower number of entries in the women's classification, the prize money was drastically lowered, causing four-time World Cup winner Astrid Öyre Slind to burn her race number in protest.

Andersson addressed her decision to still compete in the 20 km race: "I was very clear that I was equally negative towards this situation, though I didn't want to forfeit my starting position; instead, I wanted to symbolize my concern in another way."

She expressed, "I now understand why it’s called 'Janteloppet' and not 'Jenteloppet' (jente means girl in Norwegian), as the conditions for women competing today are certainly not on par with the men."

Training ahead of the upcoming break, Andersson explained how this competition was her last opportunity of the season.

"We've just moved into our new home, and there are many furniture pieces that are waiting to be put together, haha."

The issue of gender disparities in prize money in sports remains prevalent, and athletes like Andersson continue to advocate for equality and fair treatment within competitive sports.