Full row in the press area: 'I get incredibly sad'

Salum Kashafali, a decorated Paralympic athlete, finds himself at the center of a heated dispute over the title "Norway's fastest man." Kashafali, who won Paralympic gold in 2021 and silver in 2024, has been featured in a Flytoget (the Airport Express Train) advertisement with the slogan "Norway's fastest train sponsors Norway's fastest man." This marketing has ignited controversy, particularly among non-Paralympic sprinters.

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I think you should go to Flytoget and say 'stop calling me Norway's fastest man'.

Mathias Hove Johansen, a sprinter who won the national championship last year, publicly confronted Kashafali at the Bislett Games. Johansen argued that the "fastest man" title is misleading and unfair, especially since the Flytoget advertisement appeared shortly after another sprinter, Per Tinius Fremstad-Waldron, won the Bislett 100-meter race with a faster time. Johansen expressed his frustration, stating that the title's use felt "stupid" and that the competition setup was last-minute and potentially rigged to benefit Kashafali.

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Now I think you are disrespectful.

Kashafali, in turn, expressed deep hurt over the public confrontation and Johansen's approach, calling it "bullying." He explained that he uses the title with good intentions, seeing himself as the fastest man, and has previously clarified this with Johansen. Kashafali, who won the national championship in 2019 and is the fastest Paralympic sprinter ever over 100 meters, feels his achievements should not be diminished. The debate underscores the complexities of sports marketing, sponsorship, and the recognition of athletes across different competitive categories.

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I get incredibly sad about how this is handled. I think we can talk about it, and that's why I react.