Jan Schmid
Encyclopedia
Jan Schmid is a Norwegian
nordic combined
skier, of Swiss
origin. He won two medals at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2009 in Liberec
with a silver in the 10 km individual normal hill event and a bronze in the 4 x 5 km team event. Competing two Winter Olympics for Switzerland
, he earned his best finish of fourth in the 4 x 5 km team event at Turin
in 2006
. Schmid also competed in two World Championships
for Switzerland. His best World Cup finish was second at Val di Fiemme
in 2009. At the 2010 Winter Olympics
for Norway
, he finished fifth in the 4 x 5 km team event.
, and has lived in city of Trondheim
all of his life. Until 2006 he only had a Swiss passport due to the fact that both of his parents (Rudolf and Ruth Schmid), are Swiss citizens.
are unusual and were discussed at the International Ski Federation
Council meeting in 2006. The Swiss ski federation required that Schmid pay a transfer fee of 120.000 Norwegian Krone
r (approx USD 23.000) as compensation. Transfer fees of this kind are unheard of in the ski sport. The consequences of not paying the fee would have left Schmid in quarantine for a year. It was also a matter of some urgency for Schmid due to the legal complications that could arise if he did not change his nationality before his 23rd birthday.
committee in the Norwegian Ski Federation. Jan's five years younger brother, Tommy Schmid, is currently on the Swiss national ski team. He also has a nine years younger sister, Marit Schmid, who was on the Norwegian national gymnastics team. Their father, Rudolf, is a ski-trainer in Jan and Tommy's skiteam Sjetne IL. The entire family are active in the Orienteering-sport. They are all members of a club called Trollelg Orienteeringclub, which is the local club of southern Trondheim.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
nordic combined
Nordic combined
The Nordic combined is a winter sport in which athletes compete in both cross-country skiing and ski jumping.- History :While Norwegian soldiers are known to have been competing in Nordic skiing since the 19th century, the first major competition in Nordic combined was held in 1892 in Oslo at the...
skier, of Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
origin. He won two medals at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2009 in Liberec
Liberec
Liberec is a city in the Czech Republic. Located on the Lusatian Neisse and surrounded by the Jizera Mountains and Ještěd-Kozákov Ridge, it is the fifth-largest city in the Czech Republic....
with a silver in the 10 km individual normal hill event and a bronze in the 4 x 5 km team event. Competing two Winter Olympics for Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, he earned his best finish of fourth in the 4 x 5 km team event at Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
in 2006
2006 Winter Olympics
The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being the VII Olympic Winter...
. Schmid also competed in two World Championships
FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
The FIS Nordic World Ski Championships have been held in various numbers and types of events since 1925 for men and since 1954 for women. Championship events include nordic skiing's three disciplines: cross-country skiing, ski jumping, and nordic combined...
for Switzerland. His best World Cup finish was second at Val di Fiemme
Val di Fiemme
thumb|300px|Location of the Fiemme Valley in [[Trentino]].thumb|300px|The [[Lagorai]] seen from [[Passo Lusia]].Fiemme Valley is a valley in the Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol region in northern Italy located in the Dolomites mountain region....
in 2009. At the 2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
for Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, he finished fifth in the 4 x 5 km team event.
Background
Schmid was born in Norway, speaks NorwegianNorwegian language
Norwegian is a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Norway, where it is the official language. Together with Swedish and Danish, Norwegian forms a continuum of more or less mutually intelligible local and regional variants .These Scandinavian languages together with the Faroese language...
, and has lived in city of Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
all of his life. Until 2006 he only had a Swiss passport due to the fact that both of his parents (Rudolf and Ruth Schmid), are Swiss citizens.
Change of nationality
The circumstances of Schmid's transfer from the Swiss to the Norwegian Ski FederationNorwegian Ski Federation
The Norwegian Ski Federation or Norges Skiforbund, is an organization devoted to skiing in Norway. Headquartered in Oslo, it is the national representative of the International Ski Federation....
are unusual and were discussed at the International Ski Federation
International Ski Federation
The International Ski Federation, known by its name in French, Fédération Internationale de Ski is the main international organisation for ski sports...
Council meeting in 2006. The Swiss ski federation required that Schmid pay a transfer fee of 120.000 Norwegian Krone
Norwegian krone
The krone is the currency of Norway and its dependent territories. The plural form is kroner . It is subdivided into 100 øre. The ISO 4217 code is NOK, although the common local abbreviation is kr. The name translates into English as "crown"...
r (approx USD 23.000) as compensation. Transfer fees of this kind are unheard of in the ski sport. The consequences of not paying the fee would have left Schmid in quarantine for a year. It was also a matter of some urgency for Schmid due to the legal complications that could arise if he did not change his nationality before his 23rd birthday.
Family
Schmid's mother, Ruth Schmid, is the leader of the Nordic combinedNordic combined
The Nordic combined is a winter sport in which athletes compete in both cross-country skiing and ski jumping.- History :While Norwegian soldiers are known to have been competing in Nordic skiing since the 19th century, the first major competition in Nordic combined was held in 1892 in Oslo at the...
committee in the Norwegian Ski Federation. Jan's five years younger brother, Tommy Schmid, is currently on the Swiss national ski team. He also has a nine years younger sister, Marit Schmid, who was on the Norwegian national gymnastics team. Their father, Rudolf, is a ski-trainer in Jan and Tommy's skiteam Sjetne IL. The entire family are active in the Orienteering-sport. They are all members of a club called Trollelg Orienteeringclub, which is the local club of southern Trondheim.