September 15, 2015 (Oslo, Norway) – Norwegian XC superstar, Petter Northug will not likely be skiing for his national team during the next season according to a press release from Norges Skiforbund, the country’s xc ski federation.

Petter Northug (NOR) wins © Nordic Focus

The crux of the dispute seems to be a private sponsorship that Northug has cultivated with Coop Norge SA, a retail cooperative with 1.3 million members, while the Norwegian federation is sponsored by Coop’s rival, Spar.

“The Board of the Norwegian Ski Association was at the board meeting last weekend informed by cross committee chairman Thorbjorn Skogstad, that Petter Northug and Coop have not accepted the deal he was offered.”

“The agreement is the same as the one he had in successful 2014/15 season. [We] take note and regret that Petter Northug did not want to join the national team and the World Cup on the same terms as all other [national team members].”

“Norwegian Ski Federation is planning upcoming World Cup season with those athletes who have signed an agreement and will not take any further initiative towards Petter Northug or Coop.”

SkiTrax understands that this means Northug will also not be competing at the 2016 Tour de Ski.

Northug has skied professionally since 2005 and is in a class of his own with 13 world championship and 2 Olympic gold medals as part of 20 medals overall, along with 18 individual FIS World Cup wins.

Press release (Norwegian):
www.skiforbundet.no/langrenn/nyhetsarkiv/2015/9/orientering-om-norges-skiforbund-og-petter-northug/