Former Olympian warns Norway's sports model is 'sick'

The Norwegian sports model, once lauded internationally, is showing signs of sickness, according to former Olympic and World Championship medalist Leif-Kristian Nestvold-Haugen. He believes a significant shift has occurred in Norwegian youth sports over the last five years, with an "individual pursuit" overshadowing the traditional emphasis on versatility and community.

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The Norwegian sports model is unique in the world context, and we brag a lot about it. But when Norway tops the medal statistics in the Olympics, we should remember that the foundation was laid 10, 15, or 20 years ago. I feel there has been a shift in the last five years. The individual pursuit is taking over.

Nestvold-Haugen, a father of three, expressed his concerns in an op-ed titled "This is how we kill the Norwegian model." He highlights a growing trend of early specialization in children's sports, where parents are increasingly focused on results rather than allowing children to simply play and enjoy their time on the field. This contrasts sharply with his own upbringing, where he was encouraged to participate in multiple sports and experienced a strong sense of camaraderie within the national ski team.

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When I grew up, there was extreme versatility. You were encouraged to be part of a multi-sport team. If I wanted to try tennis, golf, cycling, skiing, or football, I could just do it.

"When I grew up, there was extreme versatility. You were encouraged to be part of a multi-sport team. If I wanted to try tennis, golf, cycling, skiing, or football, I could just do it," Nestvold-Haugen recalled. He now observes that his own children, involved in grassroots sports, "don't have time to have it like I did. They don't have time to play with their friends like I did. They don't have time to try other sports."

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With my own children in grassroots sports, I suddenly thought: 'Shit, they don't have time to have it like I did. They don't have time to play with their friends like I did. They don't have time to try other sports.'

This alarm is echoed by others, including Swedish warnings about "Swedish conditions" in Norwegian sports and a recent parental outcry by a Norwegian politician. Nestvold-Haugen points out that while top-level success is often a byproduct of sustained participation, six out of ten young Norwegians quit sports before age 18. He fears the consequences could be societal, including rising costs, earlier injuries, reduced participation, and negative impacts on mental health and social cohesion, as sports clubs are vital community arenas.

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It's not that they replace one sport with another sport. They often replace it with nothing.