Norwegian National Team coach Svein Tore Samdal denies that there is anyone on the women’s national team with diet problems, but points out the challenge of good nutrition.
– Supplying good nutrition is a constant challenge for us in the support system. We are constantly focused on making sure that the athletes are getting enough and a balanced nutrition that makes it possible to avoid getting sick and achieve optimal results.
I’m not saying that dieting doesn’t exist on the national team, but there is no one on the team with diet-problems, says Samdal.
Dieting isn’t a bigger subject among the women than among the skiers on the men’s team. I have heard more talk among the men and what they weight than by the women, says Samdal.
Hilde Gjermundshaug Pedersen and other women on the national team have expressed to Langrenn.com that dieting is a frequent discussion subject among the women.
Would have gotten help
Samdal says that expertise help would be offered if anyone on the team ever had problems and not eating enough food.
– We have experts than can handle such problems if it should occur. We have had access to this as long as I have worked for the ski federation. We will never have a repeat occurrence of what happened in the eighties.
We would not let someone with diet problems or eating disorders compete in races.
-Anyone declared sick will be pulled from the World Cup. We would not push them “out in the cold” but keep them in the system and help them, says Samdal.
Samdal says that it’s not the skinny skiers but the skiers with muscles that are doing best in today’s World Cup.
– Look at Bjorgen, Neumanova, Smigun, Pedersen, Skofterud, Sachenbacher and Kuenzel; – they are not skinny, they all have muscles, says Samdal.
