The hopes of jumping with spectators only lasted for a short time: the jumps as part of the Four Hills Tournament in Innsbruck and Bischofshofen, as well as other World Cups, will take place without spectators.

Just six days after the announcement that it would at least allow a reduced number of spectators, the Austrian Ski Association (ÖSV) announced the U-turn on Thursday. This means that the spectator stands will also remain empty at the jumps in Innsbruck and Bischofshofen as part of the Four Hills Tournament. The following World Cup weekend in Bischofshofen with an individual and a team competition is also affected by the decision, as are all other ÖSV World Cup events in the other winter sports.

“We are aware of our responsibility,” said ÖSV President Roswitha Stadlober with a view to the rapid spread of the Omikron variant of the corona virus. However, one is foresighted “to be able to hold all other World Cup events in Austria as planned as sports and media events.” The triple World Cup in Ramsau am Dachstein with the women’s jumping and the Nordic Combined competitions last week in Ramsau am Dachstein there was already no audience.

With the decision, the original plan to allow at least 4,000 spectators for Bergisel jumping and 1,000 for qualification in Bischofshofen, or 3,500 for three-king jump on assigned seats and with the 2G rule, is rejected again. Even at the German stations in Oberstdorf and Garmisch-Partenkirchen, there will be no spectators according to the Corona regulation of the Free State of Bavaria, so the Four Hills Tournament will be held for the second time in a row without an audience on the hills – and that on the 70th birthday.

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