Headline: Dispute in the Making of ‘Team Ingebrigtsen’ AS: All Claims Point to Payment to Henrik
Subheadline: In his first interview with police last autumn, renowned athletics coach Gjert Ingebrigtsen brought along a 19-page document he план intended to use as a statement. Nettavisen has insight into its contents.
Byline: By Simon Rønningen
In the fall of 2023, renowned athletics coach Gjert Ingebrigtsen appeared for his first police interview. Accompanying him was a 19-page document he hoped to use as a statement. Nettavisen has gained insight into the contents of that document, which reveals details about a long-standing dispute between Ingebrigtsen and his son, Henrik, regarding the establishment of ‘Team Ingebrigtsen’ AS.
The Proposed ‘Team Ingebrigtsen’ Firm
The document suggests that in 2015, an idea was floated to establish a family company to manage the ‘Team Ingebrigtsen’ brand, aiming to build an economic foundation. However, Henrik, the eldest of the athlete siblings and then the family’s chief earner, allegedly rejected this idea.
Gjert’s notes indicate that Henrik believed such a venture would financialy Ruin him and tarnish his name. At the time, Henrik was the family’s star athlete, having won European Championship gold in 2012 and silver in 2014.
Payment Allegation
Interestingly, the document claims that, according to Gjert, the other athletes in the team had to pay Henrik 150,000 NOK due to this dispute. However, neither Gjert’s defense attorneys, John Christian Elden and Heidi Reisvang, nor Jakob and Henrik’s support lawyer, Mette Yvonne Larsen, have responded to Nettavisen’s queries regarding this matter.
Million Payouts
Gjert’s statement further claims that when the athletes turned 18, each received 25% of the company’s shares. This includes public annual reports, which support this claim. Moreover, the document suggests that between 2018 and 2021, Gjert, Henrik, Filip, and Jakob each received a 1 million NOK payout from ‘Run Fast’ AS, later renamed ‘Team Ingebrigtsen’ AS. Tax records confirm these figures, with Gjert’s taxable income in 2018 amounting to over 1.4 million NOK, while his sons’ incomes were substantially lower:
- Henrik: 428,573 NOK
- Filip: 193,450 NOK
- Jakob: 46,362 NOK
Sponsor Deals
In his statement, Gjert insists that he never received payment from his sons for training them but alleges that he secured lucrative sponsorship deals with companies like Nordea, Coop, and NorDan. He also claims to have negotiated shoe deals.
Henrik’s Stunning Rise
In 2015, Henrik was the Norwegian athletics sensation. The accompanying image shows him celebrating after a successful race at the Bislett Games in Oslo. However, the tide turned, and by 2022, the Ingebrigtsen siblings had split, with Henrik forming his own team.
image caption: Henrik Ingebrigtsen celebrates after the ‘Dr.otte’ race at the Bislett Games in Oslo on June 11, 2015. Photo: Jon Olav Nesvold / NTB.
Related Article: NRK Cancels ‘Team Ingebrigtsen’ – Elden Reacts Strongly
Nettavisen’s investigation continues as the trial against Gjert Ingebrigtsen is set to begin on March 24, 2025, lasting until May 23 of the same year.
Related reading