Finland Protests Olympic Men's Sprint Results Over Wax Controversy

Finland has officially lodged a protest concerning the men's sprint cross-country skiing results at the 2026 Winter Olympics, citing serious irregularities involving the use of waxing equipment by Norway and the USA. The Finnish Ski Association and National Olympic Committee assert that fairness was compromised due to two incidents. Norway was permitted to use a wax kettle during the heats, a violation of pre-established rules, while the USA brought a wax remover to the waxing station—a prohibited action. The US service chief defended this as use for handwashing, but the International Ski Federation (FIS) failed to take corrective measures. Marleena Valtasola, managing director of the Finnish Ski Association, condemned the FIS for breaking its own rules and fair play principles, underscoring the unfair advantage given to two nations without informing others. Finland is seeking a prompt resolution and may pursue further steps if the protest proceeds successfully, potentially leading to a reassessment of race results. Norwegian Johannes Klaebo won the event, followed by American Ben Ogden and Norwegian Oskar Vike, with Finnish Lauri Vuorinen placing fourth.

German national coach Peter Schlickenrieder expressed strong criticism of the FIS, calling the situation an "unspeakable" failure and emphasizing that the athletes themselves should not be blamed. He highlighted that Norway's special wax machine permission and the USA's wax remover presence violated clear rules and that the FIS officials' repeated failures are lamentable. Schlickenrieder suggested the sprint results might have differed without the wax machine's use and reaffirmed Germany's commitment to comply strictly with regulations amid ongoing controversy. "Just because others take different paths that go unpunished, we will not do that," he stated.