An athletics coach has been cleared of abusing his Olympic gold medallist son Jakob Ingebrigtsen – in a high-profile trial that gripped Norway.
Gjert Ingebrigtsen, 59, was found guilty of one count of minor assault against his daughter Ingrid, 19, and will avoid prison after receiving a 15-day suspended sentence.
He was ordered to pay about £730 in compensation after being convicted of hitting her with a wet towel.
During the trial, 24-year-old Jakob Ingebrigtsen – who won gold in the 5,000m at the Paris Games and 1,500m in Tokyo – had claimed his childhood was marred by fear and manipulation.
Prosecutors had been seeking a two-and-a-half-year jail term for the defendant, who was accused of an alleged years-long campaign of domestic abuse towards Jakob and his younger sister.
Gjert Ingebrigtsen had pleaded not guilty, telling the court he had been an overly protective father who was trying to help his ambitious children.
His lawyers said the ruling meant there “was no evidence to show he created a continuous fear in his children”.
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One member of his legal team Heidi Reisvang added: “There are no winners in this case. He hopes that one day he will have contact and a relationship with his family again.”
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The family gained prominence in Norwegian media through the TV documentary series Team Ingebrigtsen, which ran from 2016 to 2021.
It showed the father coaching his three sons Jakob, Filip and Henrik, who were all involved in track-and-field events.
But in 2022, the trio had parted ways and the following year they co-signed a newspaper column that accused him of physical violence and intimidation, which led to a police investigation.
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A spokesperson said Ingebrigtsen was “relieved” by the ruling, but it is unclear whether the prosecution plans to appeal.
Meanwhile, a lawyer representing Jakob and Ingrid said they were pleased that the court had believed some elements of the case.
The trial, which lasted almost two months, heard from a long list of witnesses – including family members, sporting officials and other athletes.
Ingebrigtsen now coaches Narve Gilje Nordas, Jakob’s rival in the 1,500m.
