Anna Odine Strøm disqualified after equipment check at Four Hills/New Year’s large hill — Norway admits they should have notified FIS

Four hours after the competition finished it emerged that Anna Odine Strøm has been disqualified from the New Year’s large hill event. She originally placed 11th.

The competition director at the International Ski Federation (FIS), Sandro Pertile, explained at a press conference: “In the inspection after the jump it was found that she had an extra insole inside the sock. According to the rules, additional technical equipment of this kind is not allowed. That is why she is now disqualified.”

Pertile added that the equipment breach also results in a yellow card.

Altaværingen (the athlete from Alta) underwent equipment control for over half an hour and then walked past the mixed zone without speaking to the media.

National team coach Christian Meyer told NRK that, based on what was said in the equipment room, the finding was not entirely surprising.

According to the national team leader, the matter concerns Strøm’s uneven hips, which the team corrected by adding one centimetre to the right shoe sole.

“We believe Anna Odine got an injury in Engelberg in 2023 because there is a difference between left and right foot. Therefore we have built up the right foot so they are balanced,” Meyer said.

A photo from Garmisch-Partenkirchen shows the added insole on the right foot; FIS concluded that the sole caused the maximum permitted height to be exceeded by exactly one centimetre and treated the incident as a rule breach.

Pertile confirms they obtained documentation showing the height difference. He said FIS had informed coaches in Falun that “if any athlete uses technical extra equipment, they must inform us.” After the control FIS received the medical report, and over the next hours they reviewed the documentation.

NRK’s ski jump expert Johan Remen Evensen criticised Norway for not notifying FIS beforehand.

“I understand FIS. If this was not reported it is simply weak from Anna and Norway. Had they reported it before the season with a medical certificate they would have had a very strong case,” Remen Evensen said.

He pointed out how even a small change can be advantageous: “The higher you stand in the shoe, the lower you can wear the suit, and that reduces the step measurement. One centimetre difference in step measurement is a big advantage.”

Coach Meyer accepted the criticism and admitted the team should have applied to FIS.

“We took it for granted. We thought it was fine since it was for medical reasons. We have taken precise body measurements, so it is documented. But we should have sent an application. That was a mistake,” he said.

Pertile told NRK he does not believe the Norwegian team intentionally tried to gain an advantage: “I try to see things positively. I do not have the detailed medical history of Anna Odine, but I don’t think they deliberately wanted to cheat.”

Former jumper and NRK expert Maren Lundby defended Strøm, saying the sole is a safety and medical measure rather than an attempt to gain performance benefit. She said it is unfortunate that such matters lead to disqualification, though it should have been reported.

In the competition Strøm cleared the first round and finished 11th after a 123 m final jump, before the disqualification was announced. Remen Evensen noted the raised sole may nevertheless be beneficial for flight by allowing a lower suit cut and thus lower step measurement.

The article also notes that on the men’s side Halvor Egner Granerud was disqualified because one leg of his suit was two millimetres too short.

Published 31 Dec 2025; updated 31 Dec 2025.