After Alvar Myhlback opted out of the competition in Bergeforsen last week, he missed his last chance to meet the national team's requirements to be selected for the Junior World Championship.
I can't understand it. It's obviously frustrating since I really want to be part of it, he said about the decision.
A decision that has stirred up emotions.
National team skier Maja Dahlqvist, however, understands the Swedish Ski Federation's reasoning.
It's very clear with the selection competitions that we must participate in to be selected for the senior World Championship, and what I've heard is that he hasn't skied in any such competition for the Junior World Championship. So it becomes very difficult to be selected if you haven't skied in the competitions you're supposed to, regardless of how good you are, she says at a press conference ahead of this weekend's World Cup competition in Engadin.
She further states that the system in place is clear.
So if you want to ski, it's just a matter of following it.
"It doesn't work"
Sprint star Edvin Anger is a good friend of Myhlback's and thinks what has happened is sad.
But at the same time, I understand both sides. For the federation can't deviate from the rule that exists, it doesn't work. So it's rather the rule that's wrong.
At the same time, he says that a merited junior like Myhlback – who won double Junior World Championship gold last year and is seen as one of Sweden's great future hopes – should be allowed to decide for himself how he wants to compete ahead of the Junior World Championship.
Then you've heard that he's been given the requirement that he must compete in Bergeforsen, and then there's no discussion. Then he knows what applies and if he ignores it, it'll end like this.
"Can be seen as inflexible"
Sweden's national team coach Anders Byström spoke with Myhlback after the decision.
He's known what applies, we wrote that already last autumn and have made it clear to all skiers. And it becomes difficult to change something mid-season, then it becomes wrong, says Byström.
When asked if one could relax the requirements, he is hesitant.
Then it can be seen as inflexible, but if we don't have those premises, it'll become difficult to handle.
Then I definitely think this will be reviewed, after the season. That's always the case when there are such special cases.
The Junior World Championship takes place on 3–9 February in Schilpario, Italy.
