It has recently been reported that Sweden’s former World Cup winner and World Champion, Per Elofsson just participated in his first national team camp of the year with the Swedish team and that he was optimistically aiming for the 2006 Olympics. It now looks like this glossy picture is cracking. Many insiders in Swedish cross country skiing greatly questions how realistic this might be. His motivation and dedication is taking a serious beating these days. The Swedish Olympic committee (SOK) seems to have “seen the light†and cut his funding on Monday. Per has a long way to go to be in top race-shape and SOK decided to stop supporting him for the 2004-2005 season.
It’s a recent report in Swedish newspaper Expressen that paints a new picture of the status of the former ski king’s situation. More and more people in Swedish cross country skiing now doubts that he ever will come back as a top skier. The Swede is according to the newspaper only training three to five days per week with low intensity and weigh almost 20-kilo more than when he was “on topâ€. Many doubt that the official goal about the Olympics in Turin 2006 ever will be reached.
– I don’t expect that Elofsson makes it back, says national team coach Ola Rawald. He describes Elofsson as “very untrainedâ€.
Another insider source called what Elofsson did at the recent camp in Ramsau recently 'exercise' and not training. Everything now points toward Elofsson not racing this winter, at least not World Cup skiing. It’s also highly uncertain that he will be back at all.
– Our medical chief, Bosse Berglund and I have had an on-going dialog about this the entire time. We have gathered all the information we have been able to get, and he has the same opinion. Per has ended up in “nowhere-land†and that has several reasons and symptoms, both physical and psychological, said Reinebo.
More excerpts from Expressens article:
Elofsson did a test in Ostersund at the end of August and national team coach Ola Rawald (without reveling details) commented:
-He is very untrained.
Elofsson’s weight was 70-75 kilo when he was best in the World. He is now roughly weighing 90 kilos.
– That’s clearly not good for him, says Rawald
Different statement made by insiders that wanted to be anonymous
– He knows inside himself that it’s over, said one
– It’s incredible that he keeps going like this without saying how it really is. It just makes it worse and the fall will be harder. He avoids all questions regarding how he really is doing. He knows exactly what’s needed and exactly what it takes to come back. But he lacks motivation, said another.
The national team coach is now saying that Elofsson’s problem at the moment might be under-training.
The article further went into detail on how Elofsson a few years back gradually had “dropped his guard†from always training, being very detail oriented, careful, focused and reminded them about former national ski heroes Gunde Svan and Thomas Vassberg at their best, to suddenly change his outlook, aggressiveness and views.
This was mentioned as a possible start of Elofsson's slide from the top.
Source: Langrenn.com
