– It was actually a complete censorship – VG

Skier and former cross-country skier Liv Miriam Nordtom, 37, reacts to the way the Ski Association answered questions about eating disorders this fall. As an active person, I felt controlled.

– It was really complete censorship. That’s how I realized it, says Liv-Miriam Nordtomy.

I’ve been closely following the debate this fall about eating disorders in cross-country skiing. Sunday night I decided to write one Facebook posts About what happened when she talked about the problem in 2004 when she was a young practitioner.

“As a former one-footed athlete in both camps (athletics and cross-country skiing), I was close, watched a lot, heard a lot, and witnessed a good part of what was recorded,” Nordtom opens.

She is also critical of the Ski Association’s handling of eating disorder questions this fall.

– I was thinking: Is it really the same as before? Nordtømme tells VG.

– I pretty much got shut up

Because in the post she tells about an episode that made a strong impression on her as being active.

When Nordtom was 19, she gave an interview to Dagbladet. In the interview, Nordtome talked about, among other things How I Tried To Help The Many Practitioners With Eating Disorders.

Then it targeted cross-country skiers and athletes.

– After the case was published, I got a phone call very quickly from someone at the Ski Association, with information that we don’t get attached to it that way. I pretty much shut up, and told there would be a meeting. At the same time, I received a letter of praise from the athletics federation, who said it was important to address this, Nordtom says.

At that time, she was part of the junior national team in cross-country skiing, and already won NM medals in the 800 meters in athletics.

– At the meeting, the insult continued. This article was taken out to scare and warn the rest, everyone in the national junior cross country team was there. It was said, “We just don’t do this.” She says it was very humiliating for me.

Nordtømme was confused by the Norwegian Ski Association’s reaction.

– It was something that I and others I spoke with saw and experienced as a problem in sports. When I received praise on one side, and rice on the other, I was shocked, she says.

Praises the Athletics Federation

The episode meant that she didn’t dare comment on “difficult topics” again, even though she probably wanted to in essence.

You want to stay on good terms with the skating federation when you’re an athlete, so it was an effective way to make us shut up. There was also a lot of focus on that meeting on how these matters would be addressed in the future. The primary focus was that we don’t comment on difficult topics, but if we did, we would call and get a briefing with the association first, Nordtom says, adding:

– But that my experience in sports should be censored, I think it is completely wrong.

Today, 37-year-old Nordtome is a physical therapist and mother of young children she has with former national team cross country runner Chris Jespersen.

Sunday I read VG article on athletics talent Christian Helgestad Gerdi, who had problems with food when she chose three steps. Nordtom was then reminded that in 2004 she received the opposite response from the two unions she represented.

—In this case, I saw the Athletics Association responded that they know they have, and have, a problem with eating disorders, and how to deal with it, Nordtom says.

– I think this is a much better way to take it.

Burned inside

In the post on Facebook, Nordtømme writes about it.

“In my opinion, this debate is not about whether or not the sport has a problem with eating disorders – we know it does! Addressing the problems is what should be the focus! The Skateboarding Federation has been here, and it still has a long way to go in terms of the Skating Association. Athletics » she writes.

Nordtømme wants more openness and focus on measures from the Norwegian Ski Association.

I’ve been burning from the inside with this ever since the first cases started showing up this fall. I grieved and thought: Is it not possible to open up to this now? There was a lot of opening up about mental illness, and then the Ski Association persisted and denied it was a cross-country skiing problem.

– Specifically, the statements of the administration and the previous administration did not see that little is eaten, and that they do not have an eating disorder problem now. I guess no, well, if they don’t, they should at least share the recipe with the rest, because they’re sitting on the gold.

rejects insults

Rolf Neering was in charge of the media at the time in 2004. He says he doesn’t remember scolding anyone.

“I am not accustomed to scolding people, neither in plenary nor individually, but if it were so in this case, I understand that it was an unfortunate and unfortunate situation,” says Neering.

Fortunately, the culture of openness has also changed a lot after 2004. The rest of how you relate to the media, ask to read and preferably discuss with someone before commenting on certain topics, has nothing to do with censorship, he says.

– I’ll do more

Espen Bervig, the current cross-country manager, says it’s not possible for the Norwegian Ski Association to comment on accidents they don’t know about yet.

“However, we hope that the Ski Association’s conduct, work, and openness about diet, nutrition, disordered eating behavior, and eating disorders have been noted through countless interviews and discussions in the media this fall,” says Bervig.

Basically, we are aware of the problem and want as much openness as possible about the topic. one tilfelle with nutritional challenges One too much.

He mentions health certification, coach education, and health sports as the tools and measures they use.

– But we will do more, also at the grassroots, to reach both parents and coaches of young people.

We believe that the most important thing is the courage to talk about it. Many elite runners, as important role models, have recently published posts focusing on diet and exercise in their own channels, which we appreciate working with increased openness. Plus, they’ve given countless interviews this fall, says the cross-country manager.