After ‘suit‑gate’, Wellinger worries about the Olympic season

German ski jumper Andreas Wellinger says he is ready for the 2025/26 season, which features marquee goals across the Four Hills Tournament, the Ski Flying World Championships, and the Milan–Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. Speaking at the German Ski Association’s team outfitting, the 30‑year‑old noted that if he had to pick just one title, he would choose the Four Hills overall victory: he already owns Olympic gold, and the Tournee is the annual highlight that demands four perfect competitions—plus a touch of luck—culminating on January 6.

Wellinger is trying to keep external expectations at arm’s length, stressing that only his own standards matter and that there is still plenty of work before the season’s peaks. The campaign begins with World Cup points on offer at the opener in Lillehammer, where he hopes to arrive in the right form and build confidence through the winter.

However, Wellinger believes a cloud still hangs over the sport after the ‘suit‑gate’ at the Nordic World Championships in Trondheim. Norwegians Marius Lindvik and Johann André Forfang, who were at the center of the manipulated‑suit affair, received relatively mild sanctions, and Lindvik kept his normal‑hill world title ahead of runner‑up Wellinger. With both Norwegians set to compete immediately at the Lillehammer opener, Wellinger reiterated his skepticism about the investigation and the claim that the athletes were unaware of illegal alterations.

In response to the scandal, FIS has changed rules, brought in new equipment controllers, and promised stricter checks, though jumpers had not yet been fully briefed on procedures. Wellinger says the sport suffered a significant hit to its credibility and openly wonders whether the handling of the case and the new measures will be enough to regain public trust.

Source: BR24Sport (radio), 20 November 2025, 16:55.