The father of Olympic 5,000 meters champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen will stand trial next year on charges of alleged physical and mental abuse of his son.
24-year-old Jakob and his brothers Filip, 31, and Henrik, 33, who are also Olympic athletes, made public claims last year that their father, who was their coach until 2022, was violent.
Gjert Ingebrigtsen, who denies guilt, was before accused of physical abuse Norwegian police in April.
The 58-year-old was charged on November 29 and it is hoped that the trial can take place in the first half of 2025, Norway’s public prosecutor’s office confirmed to BBC Sport.
Gjert’s lawyers, John Christian Elden and Heidi Reisvang, said in a statement: “Gjert Ingebrigtsen stands by what he has said all along, that he pleads not guilty to the crimes he has been charged with and that he has never subjected any of his children to physical or psychological abuse.”
Jakob, Filip and Henrik accused their father of physical violence and abusive behavior in a Norwegian newspaper column last year.
The trio, who are among Ingebrigtsen’s seven children, wrote that “they still feel discomfort and fear” about Gjert, who was accused of being “very aggressive and controlling”.
Gjert, who stepped down as his sons’ coach in 2022 after Jakob won gold in the 1,500 meters at the Tokyo Olympics, said through his lawyer that the statement was “baseless” and that he “never used violence against his children”.
Gjert was charged with one felony in April, but five cases were dropped due to the strength of the evidence and one due to time constraints.
Mette Yvonne Larsen, who represents Ingebrigtsen’s five children, told Norwegian website VG that they would appeal against at least one of the dropped cases.
Public prosecutor Birgitte Budal Lovlund told BBC Sport: “I can confirm that on 29 November our office charged Gjert Ingebrigtsen with physically and mentally abusing his son Jakob Ingebrigtsen.
“The case has been forwarded to the Sor-Rogaland District Court for planning. The prosecution has requested that at least 30 days be set aside for the legal proceedings, which are expected to take place in 2025, preferably in the first half of the year. The court will decide on this.”
In addition to two Olympic titles, Jakob is a two-time world champion in the 5000m run, a two-time world champion in the 1500m run and an 11-time European champion.
Brothers Henrik and Filip were European champions in 1500 meters in 2012 and 2016.
BBC Sport has approached Jakob Ingebrigtsen’s representatives for comment.
