Thu, January 15, 2026
FIS v Mr Magnus Brevig, Mr Thomas Lobben, and Mr Adrian Livelten
A decision in the case of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (“FIS”) against Mr Magnus Brevig, Mr Thomas Lobben, and Mr Adrian Livelten has been issued by the FIS Ethics Committee (“FEC”).
The case concerns violations of the FIS Rules on the Prevention of the Manipulation of Competitions (“PMC”) and the FIS Universal Code of Ethics (“UCE”) (together the “Regulations”) arising from the manipulation of ski jumping suits at the FIS Men’s Large Hill Event HS138 at the 44th FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Trondheim, Norway, (the “Trondheim Event”) held on 8 March 2025.
The Respondents were, at the relevant time, under engagement with the Norwegian Ski Jumping Team: Mr Brevig as Head Coach, Mr Lobben as Assistant Coach, and Mr Livelten as Suit Technician. The charges related to their involvement, on 7 March 2025, in manipulating the ski jumping suits of two Norwegian athletes, specifically Mr Marius Lindvik and Mr Andre Forfang, during the Trondheim Event. Mr Lindvik and Mr Forfang were subsequently disqualified from the Trondheim Event, their results voided, and their cases were dealt with separately under the FIS Procedural Rules.
Following discovery of the manipulation, the Respondents were suspended by the Norwegian Ski Association on 10 March 2025 and provisionally suspended by the FIS on 12 March 2025. An investigation conducted by the FIS Independent Ethics and Compliance Officer concluded that the Respondents had conspired to insert non-elastic thread into the athletes’ suits to enhance performance, in breach of the Regulations.
The matter was brought before the FEC, pursuant to the FIS Procedural Rules. On 13 August 2025, the Chairperson of the FEC, Mr Michael Beloff KC, appointed himself, the Rt. Hon. Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury, and Mr Ian Hunt to adjudicate the case in accordance with Rule 45 of the FIS Procedural Rules. The FEC determined the matter on the papers, without an oral hearing, following the exchange of written pleadings.
Before the FEC, the Respondents did not contest the factual findings or the interpretation of the PMC and UCE but advanced a threshold argument that they were not bound by the Regulations in the absence of express acceptance. The FEC rejected this submission, holding that the Respondents were Persons and Participants within the meaning of the Regulations and were bound through their registration, accreditation, and participation in FIS Events, in line with established jurisprudence on implied acceptance of sporting rules.
In determining sanction, the FEC considered the Respondents’ submission that equipment manipulation had occurred on other occasions within the sport, including instances publicly admitted by former elite athletes, without disciplinary retribution. While acknowledging that past violations of varying gravity may have gone unpunished, the FEC held that this did not give rise to a right to equal treatment in injustice, nor did it evidence any tolerance or endorsement of such conduct by the FIS.
The FEC held that deliberate equipment manipulation is fundamentally incompatible with sporting integrity and comparable in its effects to doping. It found the violations to be of a high degree of seriousness, noting in particular that they occurred at the World Championships, involved collusion between senior Athlete Support Personnel, and caused significant reputational harm to the sport. Although mitigating factors such as admissions, cooperation, clean disciplinary records, and expressions of remorse were taken into account, the FEC concluded that these did not outweigh the seriousness of the misconduct or the need for deterrence.
Accordingly, the FEC endorsed the sanctions sought by the FIS and imposed on each Respondent a period of ineligibility of 18 months, commencing on the date of the decision and reduced by the period of provisional suspension already served since 12 March 2025, together with a contribution of CHF 5,000 each toward the costs of the proceedings and investigation. The decision is subject to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Sport Resolutions is the independent secretariat to the FIS Ethics Committee.
A copy of the full decision can be accessed via the related links tab on the right-hand side.
