FIS clears acting Norway Nordic combined head coach after Trondheim Worlds equipment probe

The International Ski Federation (FIS) has informed national teams that its investigation into Norway’s acting Nordic combined head coach Truls Johansen, 34, has concluded, and he is free to continue in his role.

Johansen had been suspended since early March after Norwegian star and four‑time Olympic champion Jörgen Graabak was caught for ski‑binding manipulation during the team event at the Trondheim World Championships. Although Graabak’s jump result in the team competition was disqualified, Norway still took bronze, finishing more than half a minute ahead of fourth‑placed Finland.

Johansen’s case centered on post‑jump equipment checks in which Graabak’s bindings were inspected twice. After the race, one of the equipment controllers requested a second inspection and asked to open the binding covers. According to Finland’s national team head coach Antti Kuisma, Johansen did not bring Graabak’s race skis to the re‑inspection, but another pair instead. The tester reportedly asked Johansen more than once if he was certain these were the same skis and bindings; Johansen affirmed they were. However, the controller had photographed the original skis, and the binding colors did not match.

Kuisma says the Norwegian staff attributed the incident to human error—a wrong pair allegedly leaving the service area by mistake—an explanation he finds hard to believe but also difficult to disprove conclusively. Ultimately, Graabak’s team‑event skis were re‑inspected and, once opened, were said to contain elements that improved the ski’s flight position.

Norway protested the legality of re‑checking equipment that had already passed a previous inspection. FIS told team leaders at the next World Cup stop in Oslo’s Holmenkollen that it had conducted an extensive check of Norwegian suits and bindings the following Tuesday—two full days after the Worlds team event—after which no issues were found. Norway’s jumping results in Nordic combined nevertheless deteriorated late in the season.

Kuisma is calling for greater transparency and wants FIS to publish the investigation materials related to Johansen. Yle requested the report from FIS Nordic combined race director Lasse Ottesen on Wednesday morning but had not received a response by publication time.

Johansen served as acting head coach after Jan Schmid stepped away due to burnout earlier in 2025. Kuisma notes it was positive that FIS sidelined Johansen during the investigation—an action that carries reputational cost—and suggests that may have been deemed sufficient sanction. Without access to the full facts underlying FIS’s decision, Kuisma says the outcome was expected and declines to question it further.