Stefan Horngacher accused of blocking ski sponsorship deal

Slovenian ski manufacturer Slatnar has accused Stefan Horngacher, the coordinator of the Polish ski jumping system, of interfering with potential sponsorship agreements.

According to Peter Slatnar, Polish jumpers Dawid Kubacki and Piotr Żyła had nearly finalized terms to use Slatnar skis after testing them during the summer. However, Slatnar claims Horngacher intervened via telephone, instructing the athletes to abandon the deal. Slatnar expressed disappointment, suggesting that Horngacher may still view the company as a lower-tier manufacturer despite their competitive standing in the market.

In related news, Austrian jumper Stefan Kraft, who had also been testing Slatnar equipment, has officially decided to switch to Biogena. Biogena, a supplement company, will have its skis manufactured by Van Deer through a five-year partnership.