Finland’s ski jumping coach Igor Medved ousted from Olympics over team rule violation

Finland ski jumpers will have to navigate the rest of the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics without head coach Igor Medved.

The coach’s removal from the Games centered around what officials described Thursday as an alcohol-related issue.

The Finnish Olympic Committee added that Medved’s behavior violated team conduct policies.

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Other details surrounding the incident that led to Medved being sent home were not immediately made available.

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“Medved traveled home today. The matter concerns issues related to alcohol use. We take violations of the team’s rules very seriously and reacted to the situation quickly,” Janne Hanninen, head of the Finnish team, said in a statement.

Medved admitted he had made a mistake and apologized, saying, “I made a mistake and I am very sorry. I want to apologize to the entire Finnish team, the athletes and also the fans.”

Finnish Ski Federation executive director Marleena Valtasola said the organization will review Medved’s standing ahead of future Olympics.

“An unpleasant situation has arisen: alcohol was consumed in violation of team rules,” Valtasola said. “We have decided that Medved will not participate in the Olympics. The other issues will be discussed with him after the Games. Now it is essential to safeguard the athletes’ concentration and restore serenity to the team and for Igor.”

She added: “We have a solid staff in place and we are confident we can handle the situation in the best possible way.”

Medved was named head coach of the Finnish team in June 2024.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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