Olympic Champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen accuses father of abuse

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Olympic Champion in 1500m, Jakon Ingebrigtsen and his two brothers, Henrik and Philip, have accused their father Gjert of abusing them, including physical abuse. Gjert has denied the charges while the Norweigan star said it has scarred the siblings for life.

"We grew up with a very aggressive and authoritarian father, who used physical violence and threats as part of his upbringing," they wrote in an article published in the Norwegian daily VG. "We still feel a sense of discomfort and fear that we have felt since childhood," the Norwegian brothers added.

Gjert Ingebrigtsen served as the coach to his three sons until the Tokyo Olympics 2021, where Jakob clinched the gold medal in the 1500m. The trio ended their association with Gjert soon after following an incident of physical aggression.

"We had more or less accepted that. We have lived with it, and in adulthood we have moved on. At least we thought so. In retrospect, we realise that it was naive," they said. "But two years ago, the same aggression and physical punishment happened again. That was the last straw. From that moment on, we decided to break with our father. It then became impossible for us to continue working with him as a coach."

Meanwhile, their father Gjert has denied the accusation, saying he "never resorted to violence" against them. "I am far from perfect as a father and husband, but I am not violent," he added. "This is a tragic situation for my family".

The Norwegian police is looking into the matter and may open up an investigation into the allegations of violence soon. Gjert Ingebrigtsen has been training another runner Narve Gilja Nordas since splitting with his sons. He has been denied accreditation by the Norwegian Athletics Association for the World Indoor Championships next March in Glasgow and for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

Jakob Ingebrigtsen (23) is the youngest of the three brothers and is a two-time World Champion in 5000m (2022 and 2023) while brother Henrik (32) and Philip (30) are former European Champions in 1500m