"I am both proud and honored to take on the role of national team manager. Cross-country skiing has meant a lot to me for a large part of my life, and I am passionate about the sport," says Niklas Jonsson in a statement.
As an active skier, the 56-year-old represented Sweden for many years, with an Olympic silver medal in Nagano 1998 as his main achievement. After his competitive career, Jonsson has served on the International Ski Federation's cross-country committee and been a member of the Swedish Ski Federation's cross-country council.
"Clear leadership"
"It's an exciting situation we're entering, not least with a home World Cup in Falun ahead of us, but also to continue building for the future," he says.
Long-term manager Lars Öberg is satisfied with the choice:
"Niklas Jonsson's personal qualities in terms of clear leadership and communication skills have been of great importance. This, combined with long-term experience from his own active career in the national cross-country team and long-standing managerial and leadership roles in both cross-country skiing and business, meant that the choice fell on Niklas," says Öberg.
Replaces after "media drive"
Jonsson replaces the former national team manager Anders Byström, who resigned at his own request at the end of March after he came under heavy criticism. The criticisms were initially internal but eventually reached the Swedish media and became a "media drive" - as Öberg chose to call it.
The criticism included lack of communication, weak leadership and the handling of Linn Svahn during the Olympics.
"He felt singled out. He told me that it was the negative aspects of him that were communicated one-sidedly," Öberg said at the time.
Jonsson will take up the role on June 15.
