This is a story of a passionate British Ski Jumper
who started his Ski jumping career when he was “only”
23 years old.
James Lambert from Great Britain:
Photo by senior-jumping.de
James Lambert is a 46 year old British man living
in Dal (Norway) married to a Norwegian woman and
they have a son. He is fighting against some “rules”
. Safety rules for the FIS.
Here is James’s story, and please tell us if you
agree to sign a petition to let him jump or not.
You can be part of it, not just for James, but for
the future of all young ski jumpers.
SJI: How many years have you been Ski jumping now?
James: I started when I was 23 years old, together
with my friend Alan Jones. We started on x-country
skiis.. jumping of the 40m hill in Garmisch-Partenkirchen,
then proceeded with inrun speed training on the
outrun from the 100m hill.. until we broke our x-country
skiis . Then it was time to buy real Jumping skiis..
we where young excited Ski Jumping fanatics. It
became a religion for us… a great challenge for
the mind and will.
SJI: Do you think the FIS has now banned you because
of your age, or because your country is (James come
from UK and UK have not some big tradition in ski
jumping)
James: Not because of my age ! But definitely because
of the attention British ski jumpers get from the
Media, the public and media love that we are the
underdogs of Ski jumping sport. I guess a British
Ski Jumper at 47 years is also somewhat ‘exotic’,
so what !
That GBR is not powerful in Ski Jumping is no reason
to be denied a license and push out of the WM’’
(Editor note: James would still need a specific
amount of points to take part to any WM competitions
though).
This is, unreasonable prejudice to one lone competitor
by established alpine countries…. against a member
of one not having the same history, due to geophysical
circumstances, and is not to be condoned. Shame
on them!
SJI: What happened at the ’FIS – Nordic World Championships
in Oslo 2011“
James: It started as an amazing experience, but
being a British ski jumper
in the Oslo World Championships ended for me as
a shocking experience.
SJI: Why’s that James ?
James: Some FIS officials behaved disgustingly rude
towards me. Sepp Gratzer -FIS TD- angrily pointed
me out in the open, then very rudely drilled and
verbally abused me about my Jumping suit, this was
also witnessed by Walter Hofer FIS Race Director,
who was then felt forced to apologize to our National
GBR trainer- Kenneth Brathen. They sure tried other
tricks too…just to show us that GBR Ski jumpers
are not welcome.
Why this unfounded prejudice I didn’t understand.
It totally depressed my spirits. I felt physically
sick and out of place when I was competing, it was
a horrible feeling.
Ulrich Wehling FIs -NC Director, followed by announcing
to my trainer that I was a ‘’safety problem’’. In
fact he gathered a Jury to vote James Lambert GBR
‘’was an unsafe competitor’’, then they used that
as the reason not to let me finish the competitions!
The FIS Jury where confronted live by the Norwegian
TV NRK
When the NRK reporter asked the Jury to explain
why my jumping was dangerous, the Jury had no answer,
the FIS Jury turned red with embarrassment, I wonder
why. This all happened live on Norwegian TV.
The Norwegian Media TV, then turned to ask other
top ski jumping experts, such as Olympic Hero -
Espen Bredesen.
Espen replied that “Sure’’ James is jumping shorter
than the rest” but they cannot say that’s dangerous,
for any conditioned ski jumper the new Holmenkollen
hill is a very safe to jump.
SJI: so, what to do James ?
James: For the future of our Ski Jumping sport,
we have to achieve an equally represented platform.
Especially, with consideration for countries struggling
to build a Ski jumping environment. This does not
mean ‘’special treatment’’ it means remake the rules
to include other countries.
So we can also compete on TV and get support through
sponsorship. Because, without Media coverage we
are dead.
We witnessed, how much pressure had to be put on
them,before the FIS bosses would accept Women in
Ski Jumping and how many years struggle this cost
us!
We need new young people who will be happy to promote
equal support for all nations and genders in the
fairest possible manner.
This may not change anything for me, the FIS have
also contacted the British Ski Federation informing
them not to give me a FIS start Licence.
But these changes need to be made for the future.
We must create a future, so all young athletes of
all nations, grow into a fairer Ski Jumping world.
Its about keeping the Ski Jumping Spirit alive for
the younger generations.
SJI: What are your goals for
the future!
James:Well, my priority is to be a fantastic father
and husband.Then to continue competing at the IMC-
Senior World Championships.
Once again, to set yet another British record (93m)
but this time it must be over 100m .
We are not imprisoned by age… we are liberated by
it.
Be well
James Lambert
Ski Jumping Team GBR
EDITOR NOTE: We WANT TO MAKE SURE TO THE READERS
AND ALL THE PARTS INVOLVED IN THIS STORY THAT WE
ARE NOT TAKING JAMES defense or saying that we disagree
with some of the stuff he said, we decided to publish
his story just because we believe that EVERYONE
has the right to be listened.
